Russia responds to M4 militia attack on Idlib by supporting the imminent SAA offensive in al-Barah

Russia’s response to the attack by the militias against its patrol on the M4 in Idlib was not long in coming. For some hours in the south of the Syrian province there has been intense Damascus and Moscow drone activity. Specifically on Jabal Zawiyah. There is no official confirmation, but it is likely to be the prelude to a large-scale operation in the Al Barah area. It is no coincidence that in recent days there have been several artillery attacks and the army has (SAA) just received numerous reinforcements, including armored ones. In addition, surveillance on the border with Aleppo was reinforced and the SAA carried out several bombings north of Latakia. It seems that  the army aims to close the jihadists in a very precise quadrant, leaving them as the only escape route to the M4, where however the Turkish TAF are lined up en masse.

Meanwhile, the SDF in Deir Ezzor silently carry out Phase 2 of Deterrence of Terrorism against Isis

Meanwhile, new elements are added that suggest the beginning of phase two of the SDF’s anti-Isis “Deterrence of Terrorism” operation between Hasaka and Deir Ezzor. In the past few hours, Kurdish forces, in cooperation with Inherent Resolve, have carried out two targeted raids along the Khabur. The first in Mergeda and the second in Dahla, north of Busayrah. In both cases, some Islamic State militants were captured and weapons, ammunition and documentation were seized. Objective of the maneuvers: to clean the last stretch of the syrian river from the presence of Daesh, up to the Euphrates, and then proceed south towards the border with Iraq. An array of over seven thousand soldiers is engaged, the largest since the fall of Baghuz.