The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

About 60 members and fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the “Islamic State” organization were killed in an attack by ISIS northeast of Hama

Hama Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the cautious calm prevails the clash areas between Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the “Islamic State” organization in the northeastern countryside of Hama, amid conflict of information about the party that control villages of Rasm al-Hamam and Abu al-Khandeq, after an attack by the organization on both of them hours ago, where violent clashes took place between both parties accompanied by intense shelling and exchange of targeting between both parties, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented more casualties in the ranks of both parties in the past 24 hours, where it rose to 35 at least, the number of members of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham who were killed in the clashes, also it rose to 22, the number of members of the “Islamic State” organization who were killed during the same clashes, while several members of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham have gone missing and the contact with them was lost after the sudden attack of ISIS members on their positions yesterday exploiting the bad weather, the fate of these members is still unknown.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the fall of casualties in the ranks of the both parties, since the fighting between them started on the 9th of October 2017, in which the SOHR documented the death of 271 members at least of the organization who were killed in the ongoing clashes in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, while 167 fighters at least of Tahrir Al-Sham where killed in this violent fighting, and tens of other fighters of the later were injured and captured, as well as the injury of tens of the organization’s members, while the number of the human losses may increase because of the presence of serious injuries, and the fate of the captives is not known yet, amid fears of being executed by the organization which tries to raise the spirits of its supporters, by emphasizing its strength through carrying out sudden attacks.

It worth mentioning that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that the organization seeks to expand its control after they managed since the 21st of November of 2017 to control the following villages, which are Al-Wabid Al-Qebali, Muwailah Abu Hadib, Abu Ajwa, Anbaz, Muwailah Sawana, Abu Haya, Rasm Al-Ahmar,  Abu Hilal, Abu Hareq, Abu Al-Qousor, Ma’asran, Al-Atshana, Abin, Jub Zuriq, Al-Sheha, Surouj,  Alia, Abu Moro, Abu Al-Khanadeq, Al-Wastiya, Samiriya, Rasm Al-Sakaf, Janat Al-Swarna, Twal Al-Dabaghen, Jadida, Talhan, and other areas in the northeastern countryside of Hama.

The SOHR published today’s morning that the clashes in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, between the “Islamic State” organization against Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, approached to enter their third month, since the fighting started on the 9th of October 2017, in which this fighting has been continuing for about two months, away from the flashes of the local, regional and international media, although the media focused on the clashes against the organization on the banks of the Euphrates River, in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

These clashes have been still ongoing till today the 7th of December 2017, in which Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham carried out counter attacks during the past few hours, to regain the control of the villages they lost during the past 48 hours, through which the organization increased its scope of control in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham managed to regain the control on Smow Abu Al-Karasi, while about 25 villages are still under the control of the organization, which exploits the bad weather, or exploits the ongoing violent clashes between Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham against the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them in the same countryside, to carry out counter attacks, lead to its advancement in areas controlled by Tahrir Al-Sham, and these clashes cause more human losses in the ranks of the both parties.

Great increase of the attacks of the organization- which reached this area after crossing the controlled areas of the regime forces which separated between the controlled areas of the regime forces previously – where Wadi Al-Azeeb area is exist – and the controlled areas of Hahrir Al-sham- escalated after the organization brought reinforcements to the area, in which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the arrival of hundreds of members of the “Islamic State” organization heavily armed with equipment and supplies of heavy vehicles and heavy and light weapons in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, and sources reported that they came from the Syrian Desert that is controlled by the regime forces, in which these members carried out wide attack on the positions of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham in the area immediately after their arrival two weeks ago.

The “Islamic State” organization and although the counter attacks of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, still controls the villages of Abu Hadib, Muwaileh Sawarnah, Abu Hayya, Rasm Al-Ahmar, Abu Hilal, Abu Hreik, Abul Kusour, Maasaran, Atshana, Ibbin, Jib Zureiq, Suruj, Shihat, Alya, Abu Marrw, Abu Khanadiq, Al-Wastiyyah, Al-Samiriyya, Rasm Al-Skaf, Janat al-Sawarnah, Tuwal Dabaghin, Jadida, Abu Ajwa, Anbaz, Talhan and other points and positions in the area, since its violent and successive attacks escalated on the 21st of November 2017, after the reinforcements arrived.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the fall of casualties in the ranks of the both parties, since the fighting between them started on the 9th of October 2017, in which the SOHR documented the death of 267 members at least of the organization who were killed in the ongoing clashes in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, while 151 fighters at least of Tahrir Al-Sham where killed in this violent fighting, and tens of other fighters of the later were injured and captured, as well as the injury of tens of the organization’s members, while the number of the human losses may increase because of the presence of serious injuries, and the fate of the captives is not known yet, amid fears of being executed by the organization which tries to raise the spirits of its supporters, by emphasizing its strength through carrying out sudden attacks.