FSA Counter-Attack Breaks Siege on East Ghouta, Strategic Gains Made in Rural Damascus, Aleppo And Hama.

The Free Syrian Army succeeded in breaking the siege that has been laid on Eastern Ghouta by the militias of Hezbollah, Abu al Fadl al Abbas, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Assad Forces. The FSA repelled a large-scale attack carried out by these forces and militias and managed to launch a surprise counterattack. It has become clear that the FSA is advancing steadily towards the liberation of more areas after a series of victories over the past few days. Muhannad Jafallah, commander of “Abu Amara,” battalions, said in a phone report to the Syrian Coalition’s Media Office that the Free Syrian Army took control of several towns in rural Aleppo, including “Rasm al Hilo, Sdaia, Deman , Rasm al Shih, Rasm Akirch, Mdajn Azzan, farms of Azzan, Haribl, and Abidah” for the purpose of cutting off supply routes of the Assad regime. The FSA also cut off Assad’s supply routes from the city of Hama to Khanasser south of Aleppo. Jaffalah stressed that the fighting is still going on in order to reach the city of Khanasser. He added that cutting off the road to the heart of Aleppo is of great strategic importance as supplies to the regime’s forces have now been cut off, while the work continues in order to cut the road from Hama to Aleppo. He said that a battle that began two days ago and carried the name “Jaish al Ossra” is still ongoing in an attempt to prevent  regime forces from gaining control of the industrial zone in Sheikh Najjar.  Fighting is still going on in Ameria and Ramouseh and Sheikh Saed, a continuation of a battle that began six weeks ago in Aleppo. He added that the FSA seeks to control the Ramouseh artillery and the central prison of Aleppo. Furthermore, the Free Syrian Army managed to destroy several regime checkpoints in rural Hama, besides liberating the village of Asmid in rural Homs. The FSA achieved remarkable progress in eastern Ghouta and recorded victories in Kalamoon. The FSA is also just a few steps away from liberating the town of Qara after the full liberation of the town Deir Attiya and cutting the International Highway linking Damascus to Homs. (Source: Syrian Coalition)