Aleppo: Syrian Army downs 2nd al Nusra Front drone in 4 Months in the north of Aleppo

BY LEITH FADEL ON JANUARY 19, 2015 MIDDLE EAST
Earlier today, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) downed a reconnaissance drone that belonged to the Al-Qaeda linked “Al-Nusra Front (Jabhat Al-Nusra) in the northeastern Aleppo village of Sayfaat. The reconnaissance drone was seen by the SAA flying over northeastern Aleppo, capturing images of the latter from a low altitude; this made the drone easy to spot, despite its relatively small size. This is the second drone that the Syrian Army has downed in the Aleppo Governorate over the last 4 months.

The Al-Nusra Front – backed by Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen – attempted to infiltrate into the Al-Zahra Association Quarter in western Aleppo, attacking the SAA and National Defense Forces from the western perimeter. The infiltration attempt was thwarted after the Al-Nusra Front and Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen were caught in the open and subsequently pounded by loyalist gunfire that resulted in their withdrawal.

In southern Aleppo, the SAA and NDF continued their offensive at Al-‘Amariyya, targeting the Islamic Front’s largest militia “Harakat ‘Ahrar ‘Ahrar Al-Sham” (Liberators of the Levant Movement) in the Central District. The majority of firefights the loyalist experienced were reported from the Al-‘Amariyya-Sheikh Sa’eed Road in southern Aleppo; this front has recently expanded since the arrival of reinforcements.

Also in southern Aleppo, the SAA was able to obstruct a counter-offensive by the militants of Harakat ‘Ahrar Al-Sham at Bastaan Al-Qasir (Al-Qasir Orchards) after almost 72 straight hours of non-stop fighting. According to a military source, Harakat ‘Ahrar Al-Sham suffered an imperative defeat in this area, due in large part to the significant casualties they experienced during the battle.

The SAA conducted a number of raids on Islamic Front positions near Jabboul Lake that resulted in the destruction of 2 pick-up trucks mounted with 23mm anti-aircraft machine guns and the death of 9 militants from the latter.

Firefights in the imperative village of Al-Bureijj located in northeastern Aleppo intensified on Monday morning, as both loyalist and rebel forces exchanged a barrage of gunfire and artillery shells in order to expand their control over enemy positions. Despite the fierce clashes, both sides were unable to gain any significant ground to create a map change.

The Anti-Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) Coalition targeted a number of Al-Nusra Front hideouts in the western Aleppo village of Kafr Halab, destroying a multitude of vehicles and hideouts belonging to the latter in this area.