Commander of the Free Syrian Army Fursan al-Haq Brigade Fares al-Bayyoush said that fierce battles are now raging between rebels and regime forces to control the town of Kafranbouda, northwest of Hama. He also said that regime forces have tried to advance on the town under close air support from the Russian air force, but were repelled after rebels destroyed four tanks. Allegedly, one tank belongs to the modern shipment of weapons that Russia has supplied Assad with recently.
Bayyoush points out that Russian warplanes are trying to soften the defenses of rebel-held areas and pave the way for the regime’s ground assault, adding that the morale is high amongst rebel fighters.
He confirm that areas targeted by the Russian air force are already free from ISIS militants.
Activists said that the Russian airstrikes targeted the ninth medical center in the town of Al-Tamana’a in southern rural Idlib and hit the town with dozens of missiles, causing civilian casualties and severe material damage.
Russian air strikes have concentrated on health facilities and vital infrastructure since the aggression began on September 30, targeting Al-Lataminah field hospital in rural Hama, a Doctors Without Borders Hospital in rural Latakia and an Orient medical center in Jabal al-Zawiya.
The Syrian Coalition’s media office has documented about 130 Russian air raids on Saturday and Sunday. None of the air strikes hit ISIS targets, but were concentrated on areas in the provinces of Hama, Idlib and Latakia and claimed the lives of five civilians.
Al-Tamana’a local council announced that all the civilian population of the town, along with the nearby town of Sukeik, have fled after they were extensively targeted by the Russian air force. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
