Violent and ongoing clashes result in new advancement by the regime forces at the expense of the organization

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the violent clashes are still continuing between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against the members of the “Islamic State” organization, in areas in the north-eastern countryside of Hama and the adjacent countryside of Idlib, as a result of a violent attack by the regime forces through which they managed to advance into two new villages, after the bombardment which targeted the area today morning, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published this morning that it monitored that the bombardment was concentrated today Sunday the 4th of February 2018, on ISIS-held areas in the south-eastern countryside of Idlib and the north-eastern countryside of Hama, as the warplanes and helicopters carried out a series of intensive strikes today morning Sunday the 4th of February 2018, through which they targeted the vicinity of Tal Halawah, Hawayiz, Qasr Ibn Wardan, and other positions controlled by the “Islamic State” organization in the south-eastern countryside of Idlib and the north-eastern countryside of Hama, and no information about casualties was reported yet, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that the violent clashes renewed in areas in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, between the members of the “Islamic State” organization against the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, in a new attack by the latter on the positions of the former, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the regime forces managed to achieve new advancement in the area, and take the control of 4 villages and hills surrounding these villages, these clashes are accompanied by shelling and exchange of targeting between the both parties, and with this new advancement by the regime forces, the number of the villages which the regime forces have controlled at the expense of the organization has increased to 7 villages since last Thursday and until now, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on Thursday the 1st of February 2018, that violent fighting is taking place between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against the “Islamic State” organization, in areas in the north-eastern countryside of Hama, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the regime forces started a violent attack, through which they are trying to advance and decrease ISIS scope of control in the areas after the organization expanded its scope of control in the area and imposed its control over tens of villages in the countryside of 3 provinces ( Idlib – Hama – Aleppo) where its presence had been ended, and the SOHR monitored that the regime forces managed to advance and take the control of 3 villages and a hill, amid attempts by the organization to regain the control of the area, and the clashes are accompanied by exchange of targeting on the clash areas between the both parties.

It is noteworthy that ISIS used to control at least 79 villages in the countryside of three adjacent provinces, Idlib, Aleppo and Hama, which bring back ISIS to the province, it lost its full control of them on the 30th of June 2017, where they managed to control several villages in the province of Aleppo, and thus its presence returned in the 3 province, which are Idlib, of which it was expelled to about 4 years, Hama province, which its presence was ended in the third part 2017, and Aleppo province, of which it was expelled at the mid of 2017, within 4 consecutive months, since the beginning of October 2017.