PHOTO: Syrian troops in the East Ghouta area near Damascus


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Pro-Assad forces won their biggest victory in months on Thursday, taking a series of village southeast of Syria’s capital Damascus.

The Syrian military and Hezbollah moved further into the East Ghouta area, with their most significant gain the village of Deir as-Safir, 12 km (7 miles) southeast of Damascus.

The offensive had closed on Deir as-Safir for days, assisted by rebel in-fighting between the leading faction Jaish al-Islam and the groups Failaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Fustat. The decision by Hezbollah to redeploy their forces in Syria, withdrawing them from all areas but the south, was another catalyst for the breakthrough.

Rebels withdrew from the village on Thursday morning before they were cut off.

Some pro-regime accounts claimed that the advance continued into the village of Zibdeen, to the north of Deir as-Safir. Pro-opposition accounts maintained that rebels still held Zibdeen and were on the outskirts of Deir as-Safir.

The pro-Assad forces are hoping to split East Ghouta, held by the opposition since 2012, into two pockets.

Footage from the advance:

Jaish al-Islam and other factions had checked the regime’s efforts since the loss of Mleha in May 2014; however, the rebel in-fighting surged in late April, and a week-long ceasefire broke down earlier this week.

After the fall of Deir as-Safir, Jaish al-Islam called for an emergency meeting with Failaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Fustat.

1st Regime Advance in Months

The advance was a boost for an Assad regime which has suffered military setbacks this spring, eroding the gains from Russia’s aerial intervention and Iran and Hezbollah’s leadership of ground offensives since last autumn.

Pro-Assad forces had taken other territory near Damascus, include a base and villages in the al-Marj area to the northeast. However, rebels and the jihadists of Jabhat al-Nusra have reclaimed towns south of Aleppo city, inflicting heavy casualties on Iranian forces and foreign militia, and they have blocked the attempt of the pro-Assad forces to cut off the city to the north.

Rebels have also seized areas in Hama and Homs Provinces, including the capture of the village of Zara in northern Homs Province last week. On Thursday, they repelled an attempt by the Syrian army to advance in Latakia in western Syria.

And to the southwest of Damascus, the pro-Assad forces are still trying to establish an advance, despite scores of airstrikes and barrel bombs. Troops failed to enter the besieged town of Darayya and have been unable — despite the claims of Assad supporters — to claim nearby Khan al-Shih (see Thursday’s Syria Daily).

The Assad regime and allies have also suffered setbacks in their campaign against the Islamic State, following the capture of the historic city of Palmyra in late March. ISIS has captured and continues to hold two major gas fields in eastern Homs Province, and it attacked regime positions in the city of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria last week.


Video: Casualties from Airstrike on Anadan near Aleppo

Casualties from a Russian or regime airstrike on Anadan, 12 km (7 miles) north of Aleppo city:

Russian and regime warplanes are supporting ground operations which are trying to close off the last major route to the opposition-held area of Aleppo city.

Pro-opposition Orient News said airstrikes were carried out on Friday on Anadan, Handarat, and Hreitan, causing “many casualties”, while six civilians were killed and dozens injured by barrel-bombing of Khan al-Asal in western Aleppo Province.


21 Killed in Houla by Regime Bombing

The Local Coordination Committees report that regime bombing killed 21 people in Houla in northern Homs Province on Thursday.

The LCC said the area was hit by barrel bombs and vacuum missiles, days after a rebel offensive in the province captured the village of Zara.

The rebel advance has reopened a link between Houla and the town of Rastan, but pro-Assad forces are continuing their attempt to cut off the village.

The pro-opposition Orient News quoted residents, “Most commodities are not available at markets and their prices have skyrocketed.” It also reported a shortage of medicine and a lack of modern equipment in the field hospital.

In May 2012, regime troops executed about 100 civilians in Houla, most of them women and children.