Moments ago, the Syrian Arab Army’s 66th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division – in coordination with Hezbollah and the National Defense Forces (NDF) of Al-Salamiyah – imposed full control over the Ahad Mountains of east Hama after a series of intense firefights with the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) this morning.

According to preliminary field reports from a source in the National Defense Forces, the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance launched a large-scale assault on ISIS’ defensive positions along the strategic Khanasser-Ithriya Highway this morning, resulting in a bloody battle for control of the Ahad Mountains that are reportedly situated between southern Aleppo and northeastern Hama.

The NDF source further added that the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance have advanced north of the Ahad Mountains in order to control the remaining ISIS combatants that are entrenched along the Khanasser-Ithriya Highway that leads to the provincial capital of the Aleppo Governorate.

Over the weekend, the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command issued a statement inferring that the Khanasser-Ithriya Highway could be reopened as soon as Tuesday, if the 66th Brigade and Hezbollah can retake the remaining 1km of territory under the terrorist group’s control.

However, this will not be an easy task for the Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah, due to the ISIS forces pushing north from their stronghold of ‘Aqaybat, which is located east of Al-Salamiyah and south of Sheikh Hilal.