The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Large military operation started in the Western Qalamoun by restoring by the regime forces and Hezbollah for points and hills of 160 square kilometers under the control of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, factions and the “Islamic State” organization

After preparations lasted for days in the Western Qalamoun Mountains and its barren mountains; the regime forces supported by the Lebanese Hezbollah and the gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, started military operation in the barren mountains of Felita town adjacent to the Syrian-Lebanese border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that violent clashes are taking place between the Islamic factions and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham against the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them and the Lebanese Hezbollah, amid intense shelling by the last mentioned since the dawn of today Friday the 21st of July 2017, on areas controlled by the factions, reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the regime forces and Hezbollah were able to achieve the first advancement by taking control of a hill and points in the barren mountains of Felita, trying to achieve a greater advancement through intensifying the shelling and forcing the factions to withdraw from this area, which is under the control of the factions, and which is no more than 40 square kilometers and adjacent to an area controlled by the “Islamic State” organization with an approximate 120 square kilometers of size.

Cross-sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the operation are being carried out simultaneously from within Syrian territory and from the Lebanese side, in an attempt to force the factions to surrender or fight to the end, for there is no destination for them to withdraw to, also the military operation is expected to continue and extend to areas controlled by the “Islamic State” organization on the border with the Lebanese Arsal, and if the regime forces and Hezbollah control these areas, then they would have restored the entire border between Lebanon and the Western Qalamoun, Zabadani plain and until Sheikh Mountain.