PHOTO: Bombing of Khan al-Shih, southwest of Damascus, June 2015


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THURSDAY FEATURE

Analysis: Syrian Army and National Defense Forces “Nearly Extinct”


UPDATE 0700 GMT: Both pro-opposition and pro-regime accounts report that the Syrian military and its allies have captured the town of Deir as-Safir, 12 km (7 miles) southeast of Damascus.

Pro-Assad forces have been closing 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 opposition STEP News Agency indicated that rebels withdrew from the town this morning before they were cut off. Several other villages were also occupied by the advancing regime force.

The pro-Assad offensive is threatening to cut the opposition territory in the East Ghouta area into two pockets. Pro-regime accounts say the forces are now moving on the village of Zibdeen, to the north of Deir as-Safir

Following the fall of Jaish al-Islam has reportedly called for an urgent meeting with Failaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Fustat to end their clashes.


ORIGINAL ENTRY: Pro-Assad forces tried to advance southwest of Syria’s capital Damascus on Wednesday, but rebels claimed that they repelled the attacks and inflicted scores of casualties.

The Syrian military and foreign allies launched a ground assault on Khan al-Shih. The attack was supported by dozens of airstrikes and barrel bombs, including a direct hit on the last field hospital in the town’s Palestinian camp.

The hospital was struck by four barrel bombs, severely damaging it and putting it out of service. Emergency medical care was moved to another location.

The facility received 4200 patients per month. It served 25,000 people in the camp and 100,000 in the surrounding area.

However, the pro-opposition Local Coordination Committees said rebels quickly reclaimed two positions, northwest of the town, that were taken by pro-Assad forces. More than 80 regime troops were killed, according to the site.

Despite a February 27 “cessation of hostilities”, the Syrian military and Hezbollah have continued to attack in the Damascus suburbs. They have some success to the east, assisted by rebel in-fighting that has weakened defenses.

So far, the assault to the southwest has made little advance, despite years of sieges and bombardment of opposition-held towns. Last week, the Assad regime not only blocked a UN aid convoy to Darayya, cut off since November 2012, but then carried out of days of shelling of the town.


Video: Ahrar al-Sham Retakes Hill in Latakia Province

Footage of Ahrar al-Sham retaking Haddadah hill in Latakia Province in western Syria, after it was briefly captured by regime forces on Wednesday:


Video: Rebels Repel Pro-Assad Attack North of Aleppo City

Footage of fighting on Wednesday in Handarat, north of Aleppo city:

Pro-Assad forces have been trying for months to cut the road near Handarat, the major route to opposition-held Aleppo. Rebels said on Wednesday that they had again repelled the assault.

The Kurdish militia YPG and regime warplanes also attacked the al-Castello road on Wednesday for the third day in a row.

The local council of opposition-held Aleppo and civil defense issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling for the
defense of humanitarian workers and the road since “cutting it off will threaten to aggravate the humanitarian disaster in the city”.


Videos: White Helmets Rescue Victims of Bombing, Sniper

Syria’s White Helmets civil defense volunteers help a five-year-old girl amid bombing of Rastan, in northern Homs Province, which killed at least 12 people on Wednesday:

Assistance to those injured by a sniper in the al-Wa’er section of Homs city — seven people waiting for bread were wounded, including two children:

Civilians had queued for the bread after being cut off for more than 2 1/2 months. The regime had allowed in 200 bundles for distribution.