Violent offensive and advance for groups of Rahman Corps and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham at the expense of Jaysh al-Islam in the Eastern Ghouta

Rif Dimashq Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: clashes continues in the Eastern Ghouta between its major factions, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that groups from Rahman Corps and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham have carried out an attack on Mesraba town, which is controlled by Jaysh al-Islam in the Eastern Ghouta, then clashes took place between both parties during which the groups of the Corps and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham were able to control buildings in the town of Mesraba, also the clashes continue with exchange of shelling between both parties using medium and heavy weapons, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that the violent clashes taking place between fighters of Jaysh al-Islam against fighter of al-Rahman Corps and Hayaat Tahrir al-Sham in areas in al-Ash’ari areas from the side of Beit Sawa farms, amid clashes taking place between both parties in al-Mahmadiya town and the farms of al-Aftaris area, and the clashes are accompanied by an exchange of targeting of heavy machines guns by both parties, and the SOHR that at least 15 fighters of both parties have been injured with different severity, amid continued clashes and targeting on the clash areas between them. Reliable sources asserted that Jaysh al-Islam managed to storm into headquarters of al-Rahman Corps and captured about 20 members of al-Rahman Corps in their headquarter near the outskirts of the town of al-Mahmadiya.

The SOHR published on the 7th of August that it observed that the fighters of Al-Rahman Corps set checkpoints at the central sector of the Eastern Ghouta and that they have been arresting all those affiliated with Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published that tensions persist in the Eastern Ghouta as a result of the internal fighting, dissents and arrests within the main factions operating there. Specifically, the SOHR learned that Jaysh Al-Islam executed a violent attack on Monday the 7th of August 2017, targeting a position of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham in Al-Ash’ari area in the Eastern Ghouta. Following a violent battle with Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham, Jaysh Al-Islam managed to take control of Al-Ash’ari Mosque and School and about 25 farms which used to be under the control of Tahrir Al-Sham. Violent battles are still ongoing between both parties in places in Al-Ash’ari area in an attempt by Jaysh Al-Islam to put an end to Tahrir Al-Sham presence in the Eastern Ghouta. The SOHR observed that the fighters of Al-Rahman Corps set checkpoints at the central sector of the Eastern Ghouta and that they have been arresting all those affiliated with Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham. On the other hand, Al-Rahman Corps successfully took control of all of the sites of Ahrar Al-Sham Islamic Movement in ‘Arbin after a third group dissent from the Movement to join the ranks of the Corps. This group consisted of 75 members of Ahrar Al-Sham. Thus, the presence of fighters and members of Ahrar Al-Sham is now limited to Harasta area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored on the 7th of August  that the eastern Ghouta is witnessing tension and violent clashes on areas there, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights observed renewed clashes between Al-Rahman Corps and Jaysh al-Islam, after days of the meeting which took place between both parties to stop the fighting and the release of prisoners and detainees and to stop levying the media, SOHR learned that the clashes are concentrated between both parties in areas in the outskirts of Beit Sawa and Al-Aftries Farms, in an attempt by Jaysh al-Islam to control the headquarters of Al-Rahman Corps in these two areas.

Also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 2nd of August 2017 that a meeting was held between Al-Rahman Corps and Jaish al-Islam, who both are operating in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory, a long meeting was held between the leaders of the two factions in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, in which both of them agreed to some points, including stopping the media war between both parties, in addition to end the fighting between them completely, and deal with some unresolved issues between both factions. The sources stressed that consensus was reached in the meeting between the two parties on the situation of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham in the Eastern Ghouta, while no details have been received so far about their consensus about Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham.

This meeting came after a fighting that began in April 2017 between al-Rahman Corps and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham against Jaish al-Islam, which killed about at least 180 fighters of both parties, including about 75 fighters of Jaish al-Islam. The death toll included 5 leaders; they are the head of the Military Services Authority in Jaish al-Islam, a commander of the first ranks in al-Rahman Corps, and the commander of al-Marj Operation Room and the chief-of-staff of the Third Brigade in Jaish al-Islam, in addition to the commander of security group affiliated to Al-Rahman Corps and the “Security Emir” in Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham in Arbin city. The clashes also left tens of injured people with different severity in the ranks of both parties. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also documented the death of 15 civilians, including 2 children, while tens of civilians were injured with different severity. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also documented during the bloody fighting between Jaish al-Islam against al-Rahman Corps and Al-Fustat Army, of which Nusra Front (Qaeda organization in the Levant) consisted its main pillar, which broke out late April 2016, the death of more than 500 fighters from both parties, in addition to hundreds of prisoners and injured in both of their ranks, and the fighting also resulted in the deaths of about 10 civilians, including 4 children and women and the only gynecologist in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus.