BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:30 A.M.) – The jihadist rebels have launched a large-scale counter-offensive in the northwestern countryside of the Hama Governorate this morning.
Led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, the jihadist rebels stormed several areas near the key town of Kafr Naboudeh in a bid to overwhelm the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and National Defense Forces (NDF) troops that are protecting this region.
According to a Syrian Army source near the front-lines, the jihadist rebels have reached the outskirts of Kafr Naboudeh; they are now engaged in a fierce battle for this strategic town in northwestern Hama.
The Syrian Army’s Tiger Forces previously captured Kafr Naboudeh on Wednesday after launching a swift assault on the militant positions inside the town.
However, despite capturing Kafr Naboudeh, the Syrian Army has been unable to secure the area because they do not control the strategic hilltop of Tal Sakher.
The Syrian Army has repeatedly tried to capture Tal Sakher from the militants; however, all of their attacks have been beaten back by the jihadist rebels thus far.
On Thursday, the rebel groups in northern Syria announced the formation of a new coalition dubbed “Fatah Dimashq”; they are tasked with defending their areas from the Syrian military in northwestern Syria.