The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

In completing the process of restoring the remaining of Syrian – Lebanese border, the regime forces escalate the aerial and ground shelling at the southwest of Rif Dimashq

More than 360 barrel bombs and hundreds of missiles target about 150 square kilometers remaining for the factions and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham at the Syrian – Lebanese border

The southwest of Rif Dimashq the capital Damascus is witnessing intense shelling by the regime forces using rocket and artillery shells, in conjunction with the continuous and violent bombing by the helicopters on areas in Beit Jen and its farms, as well as other areas in the southwest of Rif Dimashq, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored on Thursday the 26th of October 2017 regime’s helicopters dropping about 50 barrel bombs targeting areas at Beit Jen farm and other areas near it.

This intensive bombardment which has been taking place for weeks on the southwest of Rif Dimashq, comes within the preparations for a massive military operation the regime forces aim to launch in the area, in order to advance and fully control it, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored regime’s helicopters dropping more than 360 barrel bombs and hundreds of rocket and artillery shells targeting this area, since the 26th of September 2017, and the Syrian Observatory learned that the regime forces are trying through this intense shelling to prepare for a military operation to end the presence of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the rebel and Islamic factions in the rest of the Syrian-Lebanese border, and if they regain control of this area (which is about 150 square kilometers and includes the villages and towns of Beit Jenn, Beit Saber, Beit Tima, Kafr Hor, and other farms and residential gatherings), then they will have regained the entire west, southwest, north and northwest of Rif Dimashq, where there are still an area of about 8 km for fighters of the factions and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham on the Syrian – Lebanese border, including about 5.5 km along the border with Shebaa Farms, and the shelling was accompanied by several attacks by the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them; during which they managed to regain control of a hill and sites were controlled by the factions and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham. During these clashes tens of fighters and members of both parties were killed.

This process also comes as a continuation for the operations of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities and Hezbollah, witnessed by Al-Qalamoun during the past months, the latest of which was against Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and its allied Islamic factions, and also against the “Islamic State” organization in the western Qalamoun in the northwest of Rif Dimashq, which ended with displacements for thousands of civilians and members of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham, the factions and the “Islamic State” organization to the Syrian north and Deir Ezzor Province.