September 30, 2015, in response to the officialthe request of the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, the aerospace forces of Russia began to strike the positions of the ISIS group (in the Western media they claim that at the same time some anti-Assad forces from the so-called "moderate Syrian opposition "). After the explosive power of the Islamists was blown up due to the air strikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Syrian army launched an attack on their positions in different parts of the country.
"The beginning of the end" of the Islamists in Syria
From the beginning of October for a whole weekRussia bombed the infrastructure of militants LIH. On October 7, 2015, the ships of the Caspian Flotilla launched 26 sea-based cruise missiles at ISIL targets in Syria. On the same day the offensive of the Syrian army began. October was a month of intense fighting. The first attacks on the militants were struck north of the city of Hama, the center of the province of the same name.
North of Hama militants was formed bridgeheadfor an offensive, resembling a “gut” extending from north to south, inside of which are the cities of Kifr-Zita and Latamin (the so-called “Latamin protrusion”, on the map below it extends in the direction of Hama) . In their direction, the first blow was struck by government forces, which followed the massive air strikes of the Russian space forces.
The successes of the Syrian army were not slow in coming.And although the full-fledged boiler did not work out, the Islamists left the long-prepared bridgehead in a hurry. The offensive east of Lataminski was also successful, but it was stopped by Islamists west of it. But on the whole, this operation of the Syrian troops became successful, since the immediate threat to Hamah was eliminated, and the militants were driven back to the province of Idlib, which at the beginning of October was almost completely controlled by the anti-government armed opposition.
Continuing the attack on Idlib
The onset of the Syrian army continued innorth of the city of Murika along a strategic highway connecting the city-centers of two neighboring provinces - Hamu and Idlib. The first in this direction was the city of El Taiba. Thus, the Syrian army established control over the aforementioned highway.
After three years under controlmilitants El-Taiba returns to peaceful life. Among its inhabitants there were many who fought on the side of the militants, so their adaptation to the new situation will not be easy. To solve this problem, national reconciliation committees have been established in the city.
The situation in Aleppo in early October 2015
After the first successes in October continuedthe attack of the Syrian army in the city of Aleppo. Here, in the previous periods of confrontation, a particularly difficult situation took shape, and the front line was bent in a bizarre spiral (see map below).
Southeast of Aleppo around the city of Safirathe territory is controlled by the Syrian army. To the northeast of it are areas captured by ISIS militants. East of Safira is located the government airbase Kveyris, where the Syrian units have been under siege since April 2013.
The actions of the Syrian army near Aleppo in October
This time span has been extremelytense. On October 15, the Syrian army launched an offensive with the participation of Iranian and Iraqi allies, as well as Shiite fighters from the Hezbollah group, in the direction of the Damascus-Aleppo highway with the prospect of going through Idlib province to Western Latakia. From October 16 to 23, the advancing Syrian units succeeded in liberating several settlements south of Aleppo, in particular the villages of Tal Sabin and Al-Jaberia, as well as the city of Al-Mofles. The military managed to occupy the strategic heights of Senobarat north-west of the village of Al-Waziha, which allowed them to keep under control the maneuvers of militants in the city of Karasi.
At the same time the offensive developed from the areaZafira city in the northeastern direction in order to release the Kweris airbase. Here, the attack was led by Syrian troops and Hezbollah troops from two directions, trying to close the circle of the circling militants just in the area of Quairis. During this offensive, the cities of Tell Sebain and El-Jedayd were liberated.
Counter-action militants LIH in Hama
Seeking to thwart the Syrian armyTo the south of Aleppo, the enemy in the face of the militants of ISIL and the Syrian branch of Al-Qaida, called “Dzhebhat al-Nusra”, on October 22 attacked the positions of the army east of the city of Hama. As a result, they cut the Hama-Hanasir-Aleppo highway, cutting off the supply lines for the Syrian troops advancing south of Aleppo. Simultaneously, reinforcements of militants moved from the area of Raqqa, which is the capital of ISIS, in the direction of Hama. Western media were quick to report that the government offensive in the Aleppo area was “choked”.
However, they wishful thinking.Responding promptly to the changing situation, the command of the Syrian army deployed additional troops to the area east of Hama, where fierce fighting developed in the area of the village of Nasaray.
Meanwhile, the attack of the Syrian army south of Aleppowas going on. On October 23, the villages of Tell-Mahdia, El-Kurasi, Al-Huweiz and El-Imara were liberated. The offensive in the direction of Quairis did not stop either, the town of Al-Jubal was liberated near the town of Safira.
Counter-action militants in the Safira area
In an effort to prevent the release of the airbaseKveyris, the militants regrouped their forces and on November 1 launched a counterattack on the city of Safira. Their goal was to cut the supply lines of the advancing units of the Syrian army and Hezbollah, and then destroy them. The attack on Kveyris had to be postponed, and a part of the troops was redeployed to the Safira region to repel the attacks of the enemy. On November 1-2, the militants launched attacks on Safira 15 times, but all of them were repulsed by Syrian soldiers, and this was a real victory, as the bloodless militants stopped the offensive and retreated. The Syrian army, having regrouped, continued the operation to unlock Quairis.
Continuing the offensive in the Aleppo area in November and December 2015
November 2, the Syrian army completely surrounded the cityEl Khader in the south of Aleppo, which was the base for militants from Dzhebhat al-Nusra. This city is located near the strategic highway Hama-Hanasir-Aleppo, which government forces took control the next day.
In the direction of the Kveyris airbase, the Syrian army continued its offensive. The month of November finally brought success in the operation to release it.
November 12 was released and previously surrounded by El Khader.
In mid-November, the fighting began north of Aleppo, as well as in the city itself, where part of the quarters are held by the army, and militants are stationed in another part of the city.
By the end of November, army units liberated all the villages around the Kveyris airfield and cut the routes of communication between Aleppo and Raqqa, the capital of ISIS.
In retaliation for the failure of the militants in the first halfDecember Aleppo was twice subjected to rocket attacks. Dozens of civilians died. Syria's army, developing an offensive near Aleppo, on December 22 liberated the city of Maatra.
Syrian army operations in 2016
12 января 2016 года правительство Сирии объявило, that its army and allied forces established "full control" over the strategically located city of Salma, whose pre-war population was predominantly Sunni. The city is located in the northwestern province of Lattakia. After that, government forces continue to move north, pushing igilovtsi militants to the Turkish-Syrian border.
On January 24, 2016, the Syrian government announcedthat his troops captured the city of Rabia inhabited predominantly by the Sunnis. This is the last major city held by militants in the province of West Latakia. Russian air strikes have reportedly played an important role in the success of the operation. The seizure of Rabia is seriously threatening the supply routes of militants from Turkey.
