Zaman Al Wasl)- Large military reinforcements arrived to the edge of embattled Eastern suburbs of Damascus to back the regime forces fighting in the major offensive against rebel factions, rebel commander told Zaman al-Wasl on Sunday.
Said Saif, the spokesman of the Ahmed al-Abdu Brigade said, “On Saturday [we] have witnessed the dispersal of several regime forces flying checkpoints all along the crossroads linking the al-Atibet checkpoint east of al-Dumayr city and the Abu Ratb checkpoint east of the city. The move comes as the forces of Suhail al-Hassan, known as the Tiger, arrive to the al-Dumayr area in the Eastern Qalamoun in preparation for launching a large-scale military operation on the Eastern Ghouta.”
He added that these forces continue their progress via the international Damascus-Baghdad highway which adjoins al-Dumayr city. These forces are now stationed in al-Dumayr airbase and the adjacent 16th legion with the expectation that these forces will begin moving from these locations towards the al-Marj station especially along the al-Nashabiya and Hosh al-Duwhra, on the eastern part of the Eastern al-Ghouta. Another part of these forces located in the Adra industrial city headed towards the fighting axes in the vehicle management section in Harasta and Arbin.
Despite the regime’s direct and indirect assurances to the residents of al-Dumayr city that the arriving military reinforcements will not target their city which is currently under resistance control, Saif pointed out that the arriving forces from the countryside of Hama, Idlib, Aleppo, and Homs will not hesitate to open a military front targeting the eastern cities and towns of Qalamoun, regardless of if they succeed or fail in entering the last resistance strongholds in the vicinity of Damascus.
According to Saif, the regime seeks to contain any escalation from the resistance factions in the eastern Qalamoun, especially as most of them will face great pressure to alleviate the pressure and fighting on the Eastern Ghouta areas. Many of the factions in the eastern Qalamoun region are linked to central commands principally found in the Eastern Ghouta such as the al-Rahman Legion and Jaysh al-Islam. Saif explained that the regime must have thought it necessary to address a message to the factions in the region for them to neutralize their factions temporarily from the coming fighting especially as the regime fears that these factions may attack al-Dumayr airbase which has become the central location for Suhail al-Hassan’s forces.
For its part, the pro-regime al-Watan newspaper mentioned on Sunday that negotiations are underway between the regime forces and resistance factions in the Eastern Ghouta to reach a settlement. The newspaper pointed out that the regime has brought in further reinforcements to the Eastern Ghouta area in preparation for a large-scale military operation aimed at regaining control over the area If the negotiations fail to result in a reconciliation agreement.
In a related context, the central command of Khmeimim military airbase said, “Moscow will support government’s infantry forces’ movements in the area of reducing escalation in the eastern Ghouta area to eliminate the al-Nusra Front forces in the event peaceful means fail to achieve this.”
Zaman al-Wasl learnt from exclusive sources that Suhail al-Hassan relies heavily on Russian support, especially the Russian air force, to ensure the success of his military campaign on the Eastern Ghouta. This reliance means al-Dumayr airbase is now under the influence of Russia, and Russia turned the airbase into a military operation room that includes military experts. The Russians also station al-Hassan’s forces in the barracks and officer’s club inside the airbase after many officers previously based at the airbase were relocated.
The same sources pointed out that Suhail al-Hassan relies on several field commanders to ensure the success of his campaign. The most important of these commanders are Samer Ismail who commands the so-called al-Haydar Legion and Colonel Yunus Mohammed, who commands the operations as well as his forces possessing the advanced T-90 tanks, M240 mortar rockets of 240mm caliber and capable of launching rockets that weigh up to 130 kilograms.
In recent months, the regime forces have brought military reinforcements for the regular forces namely the 4th Division, 9th Division and Republican Guard. Other than regular army reinforcements, the regime brought in sections of the Qalamoun Shield and National Defense militias. The reinforcements came after a resistance attack on the regime posts in the vehicle management barracks in Harasta early in 2018.
Zaman Al Wasl
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