PHOTO: Rebels advancing on “UN Hill” in Quneitra Province in southwest Syria on Saturday

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UPDATE 1445 GMT: Russian State outlet RT blatantly lies in this video posted on YouTube on Sunday: The Russian Air Force eliminated the strong point of the so-called Islamic State…in Salma, Sunday.”

The town of Salma in northeastern Latakia Province has been held by rebels since 2012. The regime-Russian offensive is seeking to capture the area to link up with other fronts in Hama Province and to move on the rebel-controlled Idlib Province in northwest Syria.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: After Russia’s intervention, followed by a regime ground offensive, Syria’s military and rebels handed territory back and forth throughout the country on Saturday.

Rebels countered the regime-Russian push in western Syria with an advance in their own offensive in Quneitra Province in the southwest, as they captured Tal al-Qab, also known as “UN Hill”. Control of the highest point in northern Quneitra raised the prospect of an advance into the valley, including the town of Khan Arnabah, as rebels try to link up with their forces in the West Ghouta area near Damascus.

However, later in the day, pro-regime accounts claimed that the Syrian military and militia had retaken the hilltop.

Regime-Russian Offensive Takes Village in “Hama Salient” for 2nd Time, Pushes into Al-Ghab Plain

The regime-Russian offensive in northern Hama Province, which began last Wednesday, tried once more to advance on Saturday after the loss of their initial gains. The Syrian military claimed that it moved again into the village of Athman, which rebels had retaken on Friday.

The area being contested is a rebel-held salient, measuring about 20 km (13-mile) from west to east, which juts into Hama from neighboring Idlib Province.

The pro-regime ANNA News report on the capture of Atshan, with a Russian military advisor offering commentary at the end of the clip:

Russian bombardment from multiple-launch rocket systems on Saturday night:

Opposition media reporting from the town of Kafr Naboudeh, which has checked the offensive despite intensive Russian airstrikes:

Between the Hama salient and Latakia Province, the regime forces claimed their first notable advances in the al-Ghab Plain, the third front of their offensive. Pro-regime outlets declared the capture of the towns of Fawru and Bahsa on Saturday and a move on Mansoura.

Rebels captured most of the al-Ghab Plain this spring as they took control of Idlib Province to the north. Since then, the Syrian military has periodically carried out attacks, but has only held reclaimed territory briefly.

Russia: 64 Sorties Over 55 Targets

The Russian Defense Ministry said its warplanes carried out 64 sorties over 55 targets on Saturday.

Spokesman Igor Konashenkov declared that all the missions by Su-34, Su-24, and Su-25 jet fighters were against the Islamic State, with 29 “field camps” destroyed, as well as two command centers and 23 “fortified stations”.

However, Konashenkov unwittingly revealed that at least some of the airstrikes were on Syria’s rebels, in support of a regime ground offensive, when he said an ammunition depot had been hit in Hama Province.

The Islamic State does not have positions in Hama. Instead, the Syrian military, covered by the Russian air attacks, has tried to advance in the north of the province since last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Assad regime complained about an alleged bombing mission by two F-16s of the US-led coalition, saying that two power plants had been destroyed east of Aleppo city.

A regime official said the attack was a “breach of the international law”.

However, journalist Abdurahman Harkoush says the regime is blaming the US coalition for an error by the Syrian air force:

Video: Tour of East Ghouta Hospital Destroyed by Regime Strikes

A tour of al-Kaf hospital, one of the most important in the East Ghouta area near Damascus, destroyed by regime airstrikes:

Scores of hospitals have been damaged or demolished by regime attacks during the conflicts. Last week Physicians for Human Rights said another three hospitals in northwest Syria had been struck in Russia’s aerial intervention.

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Meets Putin — Has Riyadh Agreed to Assad Stay During “Transition”?

The Saudi Defense Minister, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, has met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, amid rumors that Riyadh has accepted President Assad’s stay in power during talks for a political transition.

Saudi official al-Arabiya offers no detail on the discussion. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Riyadh had concerns about Russia’s policy, while Lavrov said that Moscow understood Saudi concerns and that the two countries shared the aim of preventing the establishment of a “terrorist caliphate” in Syria.

Reuters initially reported that the Saudis had removed their objection to President Assad’s retention of power during negotiations, but has not put the claim in its subsequent report of the meeting.

Saudi Arabia collapsed a Russian-Iranian initiative for high-level talks in mid-August when al-Jubeir — in front of Lavrov at a press conference in Moscow — insisted on Assad’s departure before discussions developed.

Earlier on Sunday, Putin said Russia’s military intervention was an unprecedented effort for “courtesy and reason”, inviting others to join:

We have never ever been notified of similar missions, but we have chosen to do so. Of courtesy and reason, of the intention to demonstrate we are open for joint efforts.

The easiest option would be to join our efforts and thus to legalise own actions in the Syrian territory, as since we have a mandate from the official authorities, the easiest would be to join us and to work under that mandate.

He then taunted the US and its allies:

But, if you know better than we the situation in the territory — you have been there for over a year, illegally, but still there, so if you know better, which I doubt, but still, then why not give targets to us, we shall work on them.

Druze Group in Southeast Syria Releases Last Group of Detainees

The Druze group Sheikhs of Dignity in Suweida Province in southeast Syria released their last detainees on Friday.

“These detainees were the last batch from [the neighboring province of] Daraa that the Sheikhs of Dignity had,” local journalist Noura al-Basha said.

The 18 men were seized more than two months ago after the Sheikhs of Dignity concluded that they were intent on joining the Islamic State.

The Sheikhs said they freed the 18 Daraa detainees “in honor of the soul of the martyr” Sheikh al-Balaus, the group’s leader who was assassinated on September 4.

For more than two years, groups in Suwayda and Daraa have carried out kidnappingss for security reasons or ransom despite multiple attempts to negotiate a solution.

Leading Hezbollah Commander Killed in Hama Offensive

A leading Hezbollah commander has been killed in the regime-Russian offensive in the al-Ghab Plain in Hama Province.

Hassan Hossein al-Haj, also known as Abu Mohammad Iqlim, died on Saturday near the town of Mansoura, according to pro-regime outlets.

On Thursday, the commander of Iranian forces in Syria, General Hossein Hamedani, was killed east of Aleppo city by the Islamic State.

See Iran Daily, Oct 10: Tehran’s Top Commander in Syria is Killed

Islamic State Attacks Regime Again at Deir Ez Zor Military Airport

The Islamic State has renewed its assault upon the regime’s military airport in Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria.

Pro-regime outlets say ISIS has attacked since Thursday morning, including seven vehicle-borne suicide bombings. Fighting is concentrated on the southeastern perimeter of the airbase.

The Islamic State has periodically attacked the airport, one of the most important for the Syrian air force, over the past year. Its latest assault appears to be taking advantage of the Syrian military’s concentration on the offensive against rebels in northwest Syria — last week, regime forces were unable to take territory from the Islamic State because of a lack of air cover.

The Islamic State has also taken advantage of Russian airstrikes on rebels since Wednesday to advance east of Aleppo city.