(Zaman Al Wasl)- The stricken Islam Amy group blew a Syrian army post up in the besieged Jobar neighborhood in Damascus late on Saturday, leaving at least 28 troops dead. A move came hours after the group's commander kill in Russian air strike.
The dominant rebel group, in statement posted online, said its fighters had penetrated early Saturday to a regime post in Jobar neighborhood where they detonated the whole building, leaving 28 troopers dead in an initial death toll.
The revenge attack was the first military operation led by Isam al Buweidhani, Islam Army's new commander.
Islam Army appointed Friday al Buweidhani (dubbed: Abu Humam) as new commander to replace late commander Zaharan Alloush, Bashar al-Assad's stubborn rival, who had been killed in Russian air strike in Eastern Ghouta Suburbs near the capital.
The death of Alloush is a big blow to rebel control of the rural eastern suburban area of Damascus known as al Ghouta, the rebels said. Defense experts say the disarray among the rebel forces could also consolidate Syrian President Bashar Assad's control over the rest of the area, Reuters reported.
Several rebel leaders have been killed since Russia began an aerial campaign on Sept. 30 in support of its ally Assad, although Moscow has insisted that it is concentrating its attacks on ISIS.
Islam Army has effectively been running the administration of the Eastern Ghouta area since 2013, when the group was formed from an amalgamation of scores of rebel brigades.
Al-Ghouta has been under siege for years and has been the target of some of the most intensive raids on civilians living in the once heavily populated area.
The dominant rebel group, in statement posted online, said its fighters had penetrated early Saturday to a regime post in Jobar neighborhood where they detonated the whole building, leaving 28 troopers dead in an initial death toll.
The revenge attack was the first military operation led by Isam al Buweidhani, Islam Army's new commander.
Islam Army appointed Friday al Buweidhani (dubbed: Abu Humam) as new commander to replace late commander Zaharan Alloush, Bashar al-Assad's stubborn rival, who had been killed in Russian air strike in Eastern Ghouta Suburbs near the capital.
The death of Alloush is a big blow to rebel control of the rural eastern suburban area of Damascus known as al Ghouta, the rebels said. Defense experts say the disarray among the rebel forces could also consolidate Syrian President Bashar Assad's control over the rest of the area, Reuters reported.
Several rebel leaders have been killed since Russia began an aerial campaign on Sept. 30 in support of its ally Assad, although Moscow has insisted that it is concentrating its attacks on ISIS.
Islam Army has effectively been running the administration of the Eastern Ghouta area since 2013, when the group was formed from an amalgamation of scores of rebel brigades.
Al-Ghouta has been under siege for years and has been the target of some of the most intensive raids on civilians living in the once heavily populated area.
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