The Battle of Qalamoun

The Syrian Arab Army’s battle against terrorism continues unabated with strong determination to preserve Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rid the Syrians from the atrocities being committed by the foreign backed armed terrorist takfiri groups and restore security and stability to the homeland.

The battles, particularly in Aleppo and Damascus countryside and the Syrian Army’s great successes, after the landmark victory in the battle of al-Qseir in Homs countryside, have been the main theme of recent mainstream media reports. Focus nowadays is intensively being put on the battle of Qalamoun of Damascus countryside to the degree that some in the West think that by the end of this battle the war in Syria will come to an end.

Observers and all who follow up the ongoing events in Syria ask why the battle of Qalamoun is so important and who is fighting there.

Strategic, Geographical Importance of Qalamoun

The area of Qalamoun has strategic, geographical, cultural, humanitarian and military importance both for Syria and Lebanon. It contains the route for most arms supplies and terrorists’ infiltrations into Syria from Lebanon. The strategic route which links Damascus to the Syrian internal, coastal, northern and eastern areas also goes through Qalamoun.

 The area stretches from the southern rural areas of Qseir town in Homs countryside towards al-Breij mounts, the Damascus countryside’s towns of Qara, Deir Attieh, Nabek, Jeroud, Yabroud, Esal al-Ward, Rankous and the outskirts of Serghaya, Zabadani and Maysaloun towns.

  Who is fighting there?

Thousands of foreign-backed gunmen, Wahhabi takfiri terrorists as well as al-Nousra Front and al-Qaeda-linked armed terrorist groups gathered in Qalamoun to fight the Syrian state and implement a foreign agenda aiming to dominate the entire region through feeding sedition and hatred and through keeping countries of the region in a state of everlasting conflict. The gangs in Qalamoun have been committing crimes against civilians, who don’t obey their orders, launching attacks against the Syrian military personnel, infrastructure and properties and blocking the vital road between Damascus and Homs.  

Why Qalamoun?

Some strategicanalysts believe that the armed terrorist groups saw in Qalamoun a possible alternative for their collapse in Western al-Ghouta and a gathering place for those who flee the Syrian Army’s strikes on their strongholds in Homs and for gangs coming from Raqqa, Deir Ezzour and Palmyra. The terrorists thought that the mountainous nature of the area may make it difficult for the Syrian army to control it.

However, advancing towards clearing the whole Qalamoun area from terrorists, the Syrian Army regained full control over Qara town, drove terrorists out and eleminated many of them, thus imposing a tight siege on the armed groups. The Army proceeds in Qalamoun step by step so as to avoid as much human losses among civilians as possible and to give gunmen from the so-called “Free Syrian Army” the opportunity to surrender.

According to military experts, the inevitable victory of the Syrian Army in Qalamoun, leads to full control over the routes of arms supplies across the borders with Lebanon. It also closes the eastern entrance of Qalamoun towards the central region, thereby putting an end to the infiltration of armed terrorist groups and the smuggling of weapons into Syria.

Militarily, clearing Qalamoun from the terrorists restores security to Damascus and enhances the army’s achievements in other areas. It completes what had begun in al-Qseir as a 85km width front between Syria and Lebanon, from where the terrorists used to infiltrate into Syria, will be completely closed in the face of the terrorists, thereby the Lebanese borders will no longer be a threat to the country, the military Lebanese expert Ameen Hteit said.

Arms supplies to the remaining gangs in some rural areas in western and southern Ghouta will also be stopped and Damascus-Homs road will reopen, he added.

More importantly, the expert pointed out, the victory in Qalamoun will give a big blow to Saudi Arabia’s scheme to promote the Wahhabi takfiri culture in Syria. Also, terrorism resources, mainly those coming across the Turkish borders will gradually be doomed to drought, particularly after Turkey is forced to reconsider its policies.

The Syrian Army’s success in Qalamoun will hopefully pave the way for more victories in Aleppo and other Syrian provinces until Syria is completely free of terrorism.

H. Mustafa