News / Syria

Syrian army forces inflict heavy losses on elite 'Red Brigade' militants

Sunday, 30 June 2019 2:32 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 30 June 2019 2:45 PM ]

Fighters with the Syrian government forces walk on a road leading to the town of Jalamah in Syria's west-central province of Hama during clashes with foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants on June 8, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Syrian government forces, supported by fighters from allied popular defense groups, have carried out a major counterattack operation against foreign-backed Takfiri militants in the country’s west-central province of Hama, inflicting losses on them.

The Arabic service of Russia's Sputnik news agency, citing an unnamed field source, reported that militants from the elite al-Asa'ib al-Hamra (Red Brigade) of the Takfiri Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group infiltrated into al-Hamamiyat village, which lies in the Mahardah district of the province, on Saturday, and sought to target Syrian army positions in the area.

Syrian army reconnaissance units, though, closely monitored their movements for hours, before government troops mounted a major offensive, killing dozens of the extremists in the process.

The source added that Syrian fighter jets then detected the remnants of the foreign-backed terror groups, and carried out a series of airstrikes against their strongholds in the towns of al-Lataminah, located 39 kilometers northwest of Hama, Kafr Zita, al-Zakat and al-Arbaeen. A number of command centers belonging to the so-called Jaysh al-Izza (Army of Glory) militant group were destroyed as a result.

The Red Brigade of the HTS, also called the Asa'ib al-Mawt (Brigade of Death), was reportedly established by Egyptian Salafist preacher Abu al-Yaqthan al-Masri in Syria’s embattled northern province of Idlib.

The undated photo shows members of al-Asa'ib al-Hamra (Red Brigade) of the Takfiri Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group in an undisclosed location in Syria. (Photo via Twitter)

The militants are notorious for carrying out bloody terrorist acts, besides brutal massacres of civilians and captured Syrian soldiers. They are recognized by their red headbands.

Separately, Syrian army artillery units pounded the fortifications of Takfiri militants on the outskirts of Hobait town in the Maarrat al-Nu'man district of Idlib. A number of HTS terrorists were killed in the attack.

Foreign-backed terrorists suffered stinging blows when their positions were struck in the villages of al-Naqeer, Sheikh Mustafa, Rakaya Sijneh, Tramla and Kafar Sijneh.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the country.

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