Two Syrian officers loyal to regime forces were killed when an explosive device went off in the central province of Homs, the official SANA news agency said on Tuesday. “Two officers were killed in a rural area in eastern Homs,” SANA said, adding that the explosion was caused by a device planted by ISIS.
The agency said the jihadists had mined the area heavily in an attempt to slow the advance of Syrian forces. It was not clear exactly when the journalist was killed nor where in the area, which is still witnessing fighting between ISIS and regime forces.
Syria has been the world’s deadliest country for the press in recent years, with 211 journalists and citizen journalists killed there since the start of the conflict in 2011, according to Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders.
In the same context, Civil Defense Directorate in Idlib Province announced, on Sunday, that the prisoners’ affairs committee in the province has transferred remains from a mass grave in al-Hamediyah Base, in the countryside of Ma’ret al-Numan, to another grave in Idlib Syria.
The Spokesman for the Civil Defense in Ma’ret al-Numan, Mostafa Gharib, said in a press statement that the remains belong to regime members (soldiers and officers in Assad forces), who were killed in 2014.
The prisoners’ affairs committee transferred the remains without explaining the reasons, and also prohibited the Civil Defense forces from filming the process or giving any statements to the media, Gharib added. The grave contained remains of Assad troops that were killed during the ongoing battles with the rebels, while the latter was trying to capture the base.
It is noteworthy that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (Previously Nusra Front) and other rebels factions captured the military base, located on Damascus-Aleppo road, after fierce battles with the regime forces.
The area of Aleppo has joined the de-escalation areas after Astana 6 peace talks in September 15, to become the fourth area besides the northern countryside of Homs, Eastern Ghouta and the Syrian south.
On the other hand, The pro-government paramilitary troops have denied troops entrance to Syria, saying forces will not cross Iraqi borders.
“The news on al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] accessing Syrian lands are untrue,” Ahmed al-Assadi, the spokesperson, told Baghdad Today on Sunday.
“How would the troops reach to Deir al-Zor, while fighting to liberate Iraqi cities from Islamic State?” he wondered.
Regarding PMFs participation in the anticipated battle to liberate Al-BuKamal in Syria, Assadi said, “Iraqi law does not allow armed forces to cross the borders without approvals of the cabinet and parliament. At the meantime, the issue is ruled out.”
News reports mentioned that PMFs, along other Iraqi troops, accessed Deir al-Zor in Syria and that Iraqi jets penetrated the Syrian airspace. Aerial bombardments near Al-BuKamal, located near Iraqi-Syrian borders, reportedly left six civilians killed, including children, and others wounded.
Saad al-Jayashi, head of the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell, told Al-Hurra TV channel’s website on Saturday that Iraqi troops do not have orders to follow Islamic State militants in Syria.
Many IS militants reportedly fled Qaim town, in western Anbar, heading to al-BuKamal in Syria, after several leaders ran away and were killed in airstrikes by the Iraqi and U.S.-Coalition jets. Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced on Friday full liberation of Qaim in record time. The operation started in late October.
On the military side, Informed sources revealed that the Syrian regime forces and allied militias imposed a siege on areas and recaptured other areas from the rebels, in western Ghouta, in Rif Dimashq Province, Qasioun News reported.
The sources informed that the army forces managed to recapture the areas of Dalafa, Qors al-Naql Hill and al-Harra Hill, located in northern Hodar town, in Western Ghouta, in Rif Dimashq, after violent battles between with the Syrian rebels, amid an artillery shelling carried out by the Syrian regime forces and Israeli occupation forces.
Furthermore, the Syrian regime accused the Syrian opposition of cooperating with the Israeli occupation forces, while the Israeli occupation spokesman, Avighay Adaraee, said that they are not joining any side in the conflict taking place in Syria.
It is noteworthy that Syrian opposition forces managed to break the siege imposed by the Syrian regime on the villages and towns of Western Ghouta area, in Rif Dimashq Province, following an extensive offensive.