The Islamist rebels of Faylaq Al-Sham have reclaimed the imperative town of Kafr Naboudeh in the Hama Governorate’s northern countryside after fierce clashes with the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 10th Tank Brigade and the National Defense Forces (NDF).

Earlier in the day, the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces broke-through the Islamist rebel defenses and took control of Kafr Naboudeh; however, a counter-attack was launched by Faylaq Al-Sham and the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” to recapture their lost territory and force the Syrian Armed Forces to withdraw.

The Islamist rebel fighters were successful in this endeavor, but following their recapture of Kafr Naboudeh, the Russian Air Force’s MI-24 Hind Helicopter Gunships reentered the battle to strike the Faylaq Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra combatants inside this northern Hama town.

According to a military source in the city of Mhardeh, the Syrian Armed Forces and Islamist rebels are still battling for control of Kafr Naboudeh’s southern entrance; furthermore, the Russian Air Force is still present at this battle, despite the coming nightfall.

Kafr Naboudeh is an imperative town in northern Hama that sits on the border of the Idlib Governorate; if captured, the Syrian Armed Forces will be one step closer to encircling the Islamist militants inside Kafr Zita.