The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The clashes continue in the eastern countryside of Hama after ISIS’ restore of large parts of its former stronghold

Hama Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the regime forces shelled areas in Al-Qnitrat village in the southern countryside of Hama, after the midnight of Sunday – Monday, without information about injuries, while violent clashes continue between the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them on one hand, and “Islamic State” organization on the other, in Uqayribart area, in the eastern countryside of Homs, after ISIS managed during the past 48 hours to retake the control of large parts of Uqayribat township, and information about confirmed casualties in the ranks of the regime forces and the gunmen loyal to them, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that with the absence of media to shed the light on the current events in Hama province, the eastern countryside of Hama is witnessing the continuation of violent clashes between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities with the participation of Russian forces; against members of the “Islamic State “organization, in areas in the eastern countryside of Salamiyyeh city, where the fierce clashes continue between both parties in Uqayribat area and its countryside, and in the parts that remain under the control of the organization in Hama province, which is within a besieged circle connected to the triangle of Jeb al-Jarrah – Shaer – al-Shomariyyeh in the eastern countryside of Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the “Islamic State” organization –which is desperately fighting to maintain its presence in the area– carried out violent counterattacks on the areas where the regime forces advanced to, where the organization was able to advance and regain control of several villages including Abu Dali, Rasm al-Dab’aah and Massoud, as well as vast portions of Uqayribat town, which is the last town controlled by the organization in Hama province, also it was its stronghold in the eastern countryside of Hama, and this violent clashes between both parties coincide with intense Russian aerial bombardment and shelling by the regime forces, where the clashes caused more casualties in the ranks of both parties, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the deaths of more members of the organization, where the organization’s death toll rose to 207 members, including about 17 members who blew themselves up in a booby-trapped vehicles and explosive belts, while it rose to 84, the number members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them who were killed in bombing and clashes since Saturday morning the 3rd of August 2017 until the 9th of the same month, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights received confirmed information that the “Islamic State” organization in the eastern countryside of Hama is keeping bodies and wounded of Russian forces who were killed and wounded in the eastern countryside of Hama, where the Russian forces are looking them, also Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of more members in the ranks of both parties.

In the same context, the situations of hundreds of families are getting worse days after the other, with the regime forces preventing them from crossing towards areas controlled by the factions in the northeastern countryside of Hama and towards Idlib province, in addition to preventing the citizens from passing by the “Islamic State” the organization, where the citizens are being targeted by the gunshots of both parties with each flee attempt by the citizens and their attempts to escape through the minefield planted by the regime forces on the line they control which separates between the areas control by the factions and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and between areas controlled by the “Islamic State” organization, and local sources confirmed that in the last 24 hours some of the locales tried to escape after walking several sheep and cattle in front of them, in an attempt to cross the minefield, the regime forces, however, shot at them which caused fear among the locals and prevented them from continuing so they returned to where they were within areas controlled by the organization, and the regime forces captured the cattle.