ISIS carries out a violent attack in the Provinces of Homs and Hama and warplanes intensify the shelling the clash areas

The contact lines, extending from Al-Shomariyyeh Mountains in the eastern countryside of Homs to the eastern countryside of Salamiyah city in Hama countryside, are witnessing the execution of military operations since the dawn today, 2nd of August 2017. The SOHR learned that the “Islamic State” organization executed a violent attack at dawn in an attempt to make advancement into the area. The attack was concentrated in Maksar Al-Hesan area and in its vicinity near Al-Shomariyyeh Mountains and other areas in the countryside of Salamiyah city. Violent battles are taking place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, on one hand and ISIS on the other in the areas subject to the attack. Meanwhile, airstrikes targeted this morning areas in the countryside of Salamiyah city. Specifically, helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the village of Rasm Al-Tanah, while warplanes targeted the villages of Al-Hardana, Qulayb Al-Thawr and Abu Hbaylat and other ISIS-controlled areas in the eastern countryside of Hama. Areas of clashes are also experiencing violent and intensive shelling by the regime forces and intensive raids by warplanes that are trying to repel the attack of ISIS and prevent it from advancing into the attacked areas.

For the past few weeks, this area has been witnessing battles, with varied pace of violence, between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, on one hand and ISIS on the other as the regime forces are attempting to make an advancement into the area and minimize ISIS scope of control. In case the regime forces managed to make such advancement and regain control over the villages they lost to ISIS years ago, they would have ended ISIS presence in Hama as part of the regime’s attempt to end ISIS presence in the Provinces of Homs and Hama after minimizing their scope of control there. This coincided with the regime’s advancements and attempts to have military and human control over Al-Sukhnah and to unite with their Forces coming from Al-Raqqah and Al-Lateen who are only 40 km away. If so, they would be able to besiege ISIS over an area of thousands of kilometers and force them to withdraw before fully encircling it.