In a matter of days, the Syrian Arab Army’s 120th Brigade of the 2nd Division – backed by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) – reached the western flank of Quraytayn after almost losing the main road from the nearby village of Maheen inside the Homs Governorate’s southeastern countryside.

On Friday afternoon, the Syrian Arab Army’s 120th Brigade and their allies launched a preliminary counter-offensive to push their way back to the western flank of Quraytayn in order to surround the aforementioned city from three sides, leaving the so-called “Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham” (ISIS) with only one route to flee the area.

While the Syrian Armed Forces have not entered Quraytayn, they could strike the city at any moment; however, the government forces are waiting for their allies from Liwaa Suqour Al-Sahra (Desert Hawks Brigade) and Dara’ Qalamoun (Qalamoun Shield) to capture the Al-Mahsaa Mountains to the south.

ISIS has controlled the city of Quraytayn since early August of 2015 when they launched a massive assault in southeastern Homs; they would ultimately seize the Tanf border-crossing into the Al-‘Anbar Governorate of Iraq, while also capturing hundreds of square miles around the province’s southeastern border.