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al-Nusra begins new offensive in Hama
Good luck, fellas. Remember to keep your heads up, and smile. Wait for the flash...
[ARA News] HOMS ــ The Nusra Front, Syria’s branch of al-Qaeda, launched on Monday an offensive on the regime’s headquarters in the southeastern suburbs of Syria’s central city of Hama, local sources reported.

Speaking to ARA News in Hama, local media activist Amr al-Ali said that the Nusra Front militants carried out a surprise attack on the key village of Khinefis in Hama suburbs, targeting headquarters of the pro-regime military.

Syrian army forces and allied National Defense militia have taken the village as a military base. Al-Nusra fighters launched their attack from the nearby towns of Aydoun and at-Tuloul al-Humer in the southeastern countryside of Hama.

A spokesman for the Nusra Front told ARA News their jihadis were able to kill over 25 pro-regime forces in Khinefis village, pointing out the military commander of the National Defense militia was also killed in the Nusra-led offensive.

Militants of al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra were able to destroy a tank and a SUV loaded with a machine gun [14.5 caliber], beside seizing a deal of light weapons before their withdrawal from the regime’s headquarters.

In the meantime, the Syrian army responded to the jihadi attack by conducting several airstrikes on Nusra fighting positions.

The Syrian air force targeted the Nusra-held towns of Aydoun, at-Tuloul al-Homer and ad-Dallak in the southeastern countryside of Hama.

ARA News has no precise information about the jihadis death toll.

Also on Monday, pro-Assad forces, backed by Russian airstrikes, bombed the opposition-held towns of Izz al-Din, al-Waziya and Abu Hamamah northeast of Homs with artillery and mortar shells.
Posted by: badanov 2016-04-05
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=451522