The Fatah al-Sham terrorists' attacks to capture the government forces' positions in the Eastern

Ghouta in Damascus province were fended off by the strong defense of the Syrian military men.

Meantime, the Syrian army and popular forces continued their military advances in other parts

of Syria, including Dara'a and Aleppo, over the past 24 hours.

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army's operations

in Syria's key provinces.

In Damascus syrian army troops repelled a major attack by the terrorists on their positions in

Western Ghouta after inflicting a heavy death toll on invading foes.

The Fatah al-Sham Front (formerly the al-Nusra Front) sustained a great loss in fighters and

military grid and was forced to retreat at the end of a major assault on the positions of the

Syrian army in Southwestern Damascus.

In Hama syrian army troops pushed back terrorists' attacks on their key positions in Northern

Hama and won back land in separate clashes in a nearby region.

Syrian Army men drove terrorists out of Zahrat al-Aliyeh region and some parts in the Northwest

of Tal Bazam region in a Friday raid.

In the meantime, other army units fended off terrorists' attack on their positions on Souran

bridge from the al-Tibeh direction and a separate assault by another militant group who sought

to open their way from al-Zareh village to al-Madajen, inflicting major casualties on the militants.

In Aleppo the government forces repelled Jeish al-Fatah's offensives in the Western part of

Aleppo city, and inflicted heavy casualties on the militants.

The terrorist groups have declared the start of the second phase of their large-scale operations

to lift the army's siege of the militant-held districts of Aleppo.

The second phase, codenamed Azwat Abu Omar Saraqib, started after the first phase, 'Grea

Epic Operation' with around 16,000 militants attacking the Western and Southwestern Aleppo

districts from last Friday to Wednesday, ended with a major defeat and loss of nearly 2,500

fighters for the terrorists.

Syrian solider and popular forces repelled terrorists' offensives on their positions in Zahiyeh al-

Assad district, Military Academy, Menyan neighborhood and New Aleppo district, killing at least

17 and wounding several more today.

Syrian soldiers also fended off terrorists' attack and targeted two BMP vehicles of them in the

3,000-units housing complex, while a bomb-laden suicide vehicle and a machinegun-equipped

vehicle of the militant were targeted by the Syrian government forces in the New Aleppo

districts.

In Homs syrian warplanes carried out several combat flights over terrorists' positions in, at least,

four different regions in Northern Homs, inflicting major damage and heavy casualties on the

militants.

The Syrian fighter jets launched heavy airstrikes on terrorists' bases near the town of al-Rastan,

Northeast of the village of Deir Foul, and the villages of Abu al-Tabaibir and Khan al-Serreh,

destroying several military vehicles.

In the meantime, a few hours before the start of the Friday's humanitarian pause in Aleppo city,

the Syrian army aircraft targeted terrorists' bases in Khan Touman, al-Rashedeen 4 and their

movements in areas West and Southwest of the city, killing a number of militants.

In Daraa Syrian Army troops destroyed the terrorists' command center in the Southern district

of Daraa al-Balad in Daraa city on Friday.

The Syrian Army struck a base on the Eastern side of al-Mesri square that is used as a

command center by the terrorists, destroying the base and inflicting several casualties on the

militants.

The terrorists' concentration centers in the neighborhoods of al-Abbasiyeh and al-Bahar in

Daraa al-Balad and on the Northern side of the town of al-Yadoudeh in Western Daraa, killing

several militants and destroying their vehicles.

Reports said earlier on Friday that Syrian Army troops targeted terrorist groups' concentration

centers in at least three neighborhoods of Daraa, inflicting major losses on their sites and

equipment.

Syrian army soldiers engaged in heavy fighting with terrorists in Katakit building, Northeastern

side of old Customs department in Daraa and Jalin town in its countryside, destroying militants'

sites, hideouts and military vehicles.

The terrorists suffered several casualties in the fighting.

SA - 12