"After the Syrian and Russian warplanes pounded terrorists' positions near Taybat al-Imam and Souran, the ground troops and popular forces stormed militants' defense lines," army sources said, adding, "Intense battle is reported from areas near the two towns;" FNA reported.

"The pro-government military forces deployed hundreds of forces along the road to Souran after pushing back militants from the regions near the towns of Kawkab and Ma'ardes that have been recently captured by the army," the sources added.

"The army soldiers also discovered and detonated a 5.2-kilimeter-long tunnel connecting Ma'ardes to Taybat al-Imam. At least 23 Jeish al-Nasr terrorists were killed in the army attacks along the road to Souran," the sources went on to say.

Earlier reports said that a notorious field commander of Fatah al-Sham Front (the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) was killed in Syrian warplanes' massive air raids in Northern Hama.

A large number of militants of Fatah al-Sham, including their commander Ahmad Abdu Razaq al-Henesh, were killed in the Syrian air assaults on their positions in Khirbet Ma'arin, Morek, Souran, al-Lahaya, al-Latamina, Taybat al-Imam, Tal al-Mantar, al-Masaseneh, Tal Bazam and al-Saman.

Fatah al-Sham also lost a large number of military vehicles and tanks in the attacks.

The Russian air force also targeted terrorists' centers on the Eastern side of al-Salamiyah, inflicting major loss and casualties on the militants.

Military sources said that heavy bombardments of the Russian and Syrian fighter jets pave the ground for the government forces to launch fresh operation to take back Souran and Taybat al-Imam.

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