Syrian Arab army wards off ISIS attack on marble quarries outside Palmyra, kills 62 terrorists in ambushes north-east Aleppo

PROVINCES,(ST)_Syrian army has reportedly warded off ISIS attack on Marble quarries outside Palmyra amid continuity of strikes against terrorist organizations outside Hama, Hassaka, Idlib Lattakia, Der Ezzour and Daraa.

According to the official news agency (SANA), army units warded off today attack carried out by the ISIS [its Arabic acronym is Daesh ] on Marble quarries in al-Marwaha area outside Palmyra and eliminated many terrorists on the outskirts of the oil Jazal field in Homs countryside.

The agency added that army units targeted terrorist hideouts in Abo Hbilat and Aqareb al-Safi towns in the eastern countryside of Hama and in towns of Karemeh, al-Debsheyeh, Tal Mrir, Serjeh, Ein al-Soda and Nahleh in Idlib countryside.

Other terrorist hideouts plus an arms cache belonging to al-Nusra Front in al-Farz, surrounding of Bradon dam, al-Kart, Ein Bida, al-Nashora, Jabal Zahi and Etira towns in northern countryside of Lattakia were destroyed by army units.

In southern Daraa province, army units continued operations and killed many terrorists that had tried to attack military posts in al-Fqe’a and al-Dalli and Daraa al-Balad.

Heavy clashes in Handarat camp

While in northern Aleppo province, there were heavy clashes between  Syrian army and armed groups in Handarat camp in the northern countryside of the province, according to the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen TV channel which confirmed the death of a military leader in the ‘Fastaqem Kamaomert’ grouping, his name Rami Saffok, in the clashes.

Last night, the Damascus-based al-Watan newspaper reported that Syrian army had recaptured the entry of Handarat camp plus several buildings inside it.

It clarified that an army unit supported by national defense groups and the al-Quds brigade, which is composed of Palestinians from Handarat and al-Nairab camps, drove al-Nusra Front and the Islamic Front gunmen out of the entry of Handarat camp amid heavy fighting.

“An army unit killed 40 al-Nusra Front gunmen in an ambush as they were trying to infiltrate into Sifat town, which lies 30km north-east Aleppo,” the paper said, pointing out that several gunmen linked to al-Nusra Front  were held captive.

More 22 gunmen affiliated to the Islamic Front and al-Nusra Front were mowed down in another ambush in Handarat town which is located near Sifat town.

Basma Qaddour