A New Failure on the Edges of the «Aleppo Encirclement»

Al-Akhbar Newspaper

"Jaish al-Fatah" displayed a new episode of the "Grand Epic of Aleppo" yesterday. It was in the form of a new (offensive) wave that clashed with army defences, aimed at controlling the Faculty of Artillery in the south of the city.

This translated into a new failure for the militants. The ongoing operation coincided with high-level media activity and the public stance of the Emir of "Fatah al-Sham", Abu Mohammad al-Joulani, who considered the importance of the results in the past few days as not being limited to "opening the way for the besieged in Aleppo" (which they have failed to do).

For the sixth consecutive day militants of "Jaish al-Fatah" continue their attempts to break the "encirclement" and lift the siege on the city of Aleppo. But these attempts in the last two days turned out to be focused on specific points, unlike the "20 Kilometre Front" which was spoken of by the leaders of the offensive on the first day.

Yesterday, the objective was the Faculty of Artillery in the Ramouseh region, where "Jaish al-Fatah" threw all its weight this time in order to take control of it. The operation was accompanied as usual by a media campaign, thus preceding the "Conquest of Ibrahim Youssef" was a declaration of (several) victories. However, the fact is that the fifth wave of "Fatah" targeting the Faculty of Artillery failed, after suffering numerous heavy losses, prompting factions in the besieged eastern neighbourhoods to launch a second offensive after the failure of the first. The failure was represented by a cautious calm that prevailed on the Artillery Battalion front, which was broken by the army's machine-gun fire towards the armed groups who tried to pull out the bodies of their dead from the battlefield, and aid their wounded.

The "Artillery" offensive began with the detonation of two car bombs by the "Fatah al-Sham Front" (Nusra Front), followed by ground progress to the quarry area and the Faculty of Armament and the gate of the Faculty of Artillery, which led to the army retreating from some points in order to absorb the attack, reposition, and work on foiling (the offensive).

While militants took control of a number of points -which they withdrew from later - Arab media, especially Gulf media, was quick to declare control of the (Faculty of) "Artillery", and publicised explanatory maps and photographs that (apparently) confirm the seizure of ammunition depots. However, "Fatah" failed in its media "game", especially since it posted pictures of the Mohin warehouses in the southern countryside of Homs, which had already been overrun by militants in late 2013, before it retreated from them.

While "Fatah" suffers one failure after another, "Fatah al-Sham", the backbone of that armed "coalition", tried to boost the morale of its fighters. After its failed move on betting on inciting the top judge of "Fatah", the Saudi Mhaisni Abdullah, the Emir of "Fatah al-Sham", Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, came out with an audio message "extending congratulations for the victories of the past few days." He believed that "the results exceed (the objective) of opening the road for those besieged in Aleppo", vowing to "destroy Russian tyranny by the hands of the mujahideen."

Despite the progress of militants at some points southwest of the city in the past few days, they confirm that it is less than their expectations and ambitions, aside from the fact that the army and its allies have begun operations aimed at regaining these points. Since then, they have retaken control of the entire Refrigerator Factories region, east of Ramouseh, amid army air and artillery targeting of points for "Fatah" west of the Jamiyyat Hills and al-Amiriyah. With "Fatah's" continuation of its "Epic", the number of its dead (continues to) rise, bringing the number of its dead up to 400, including a large number of field commanders, most notable of which was yesterday with (the killing) of two military officials, one Abu Dujana al-Muhajer from the "Ahrar al-Sham Movement", and one "Abu Laith" from the "Nusra Front".

With the end of "the fifth episode" of the "epic" series, the "Tanseeqiyyat" and accounts of "jihadists" were busy attempting to justify their failure, putting their hope in today's "battle" that is on a different front, aimed at lifting the siege and breaking the "encirclement".

As for the north-east countryside of Aleppo, "the Democratic Syrian Forces" seized control of the Mankoubah village, north of the city of Manbej, after violent confrontations with "Daesh" fighters. After the announcement of "Qased" the day before yesterday that it now exerts control over 80% of the city, the organization released video footage of the progress of the battles in the city, making it clear that its storming into the city "is not a new event". The footage showed three suicide attacks on "Qased" sites within the city.

In the meantime, violent clashes took place between the army and "Jaish al-Islam" militants on the Hosh al-Nasri front, amid air raids targeting militant points in the city of Arbin , and the towns of Ein Tarma , Kfrbatna, Mudeera, and two bridges in eastern Ghouta. As for south of the capital, particularly in the Yarmouk refugee camp, "Daesh" called upon civilians living within (distance) of bases for "Fatah al-Sham" to leave these areas and head to regions under their control. The group granted these families until next Saturday, that is before it enforces the siege and tightens the noose on "Fatah al-Sham" militants, thus hinting (impending) military action, according to the "Tanseeqiyyat".

In parallel, the "Sana" wire service revealed that dozens of ISIS militants were killed as the Syrian army repelled their attacks on some of their positions at "Tal al-Barook", north west the city of "Deir al-Zour".

Yet, in the southern area, especially in the city of Basra al-Sham, some of the militants affiliated with the leader of "Sunni Shabaab Group", Ahmad al-Audi, which is linked to the "Free Army", had attacked the city after two days from when the protest against him began. That led the court of "Dar al-Adl" in Hawran to announce a decision of putting him under house arrest.

The militants of "al-Audi" were able to control the city and stop the revolt against them, according to the "Tanseeqiyyat". They entered the city and fought with those who are disobeying "al-Audi".

Moreover, a group close to "Fatah al-Sham" mourned their first leader in Daraa, "Sheikh-Mujahid" Manhal Hasan Abazeid, due to a rocket striking his house in "Hay Tareeq al-Sadd" in Daraa al-Mahatta. Some opposition websites said that Abazeid resigned from the leadership of "Nusra" in Daraa following the arrival of "al-Muhajerein", headed by the Iraqi "Abo Maria al-Qahtani".

Translated and Edited by website team