BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:07 P.M.) – After a series of major advances by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) against ISIS militants in eastern Hama Governorate yesterday, government forces have since pushed deeper into the region, de facto encircling it by either physical ground control or by fire control and reaching the outskirts of ‘Uqrayribat – a key Islamic State stronghold in the now besieged area.

This latest successful advance comes amid a general collapse of ISIS resistance in eastern Hama after all of the jihadist group’s lines of communication to and from the region were cut.

Reports say that ISIS has started retreating from the town of Uqrayribat, a settlement which represents the center point of the terrorist group’s defensive network in eastern Hama. If true then jihadist militants are clearly hoping to escape certain doom even if it means transiting routes that are (as mentioned earlier) nonetheless under the fire-control of the SAA.

According to a military source exclusive to Al-Masdar News, army forces have reached the outskirts of ‘Uqrayribat from two sides.

The source added that ‘Uqrayribat should be liberated within 2 days, if not less.