Syrian Arab Army’s 103rd Brigade of the Republican has restarted their military operations in the East Ghouta (collection of farm) region of rural Damascus after taking a brief hiatus due to the ongoing negotiations between Russia and the Islamist rebels of Jaysh Al-Islam (Army of Islam) to implement a 15 day ceasefire agreement in this area.

On Saturday morning, the Syrian Arab Army’s 105th Brigade – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) – launched a powerful assault on the Marj Al-Sultan Airbase, capturing several farms that border this imperative village to the north.

Following their success at the Marj Al-Sultan Military Airbase, the Syrian Arab Army’s 105th Brigade and their allies concentrated on the northern farms of Douma, seizing this site at the eastern flank of the Damascus-Homs Highway after a series of intense firefights with the Islamist rebels from Jaysh Al-Islam.

Perhaps the Syrian Arab Army’s most ferocious assault took place in the strategic city of Darayya, where they were joined by Iraqi paramilitary units and Hezbollah in order to take full control of the Darayya Association Quarter that was partially captured by Ajnad Al-Sham during their offensive in rural Damascus.

With the military operations restarting in rural Damascus, the violence is likely going to increase in the coming weeks, as both sides attempt to advance.