Hello and welcome to the 277th installment of the SWD .

Military events/news are listed below by the governorates:

Aleppo:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham repelled Syrian Arab Army’s attack on Siyala village, south of Khanaser. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s commander Edi Abu Faisal claimed that four SAA ‘s soldier were killed in the failed attack and a technical damaged.

Around 60 people participated in the demonstrations in TFSA -held Jarabulus, marking the 5th death anniversary of the Free Syrian Army’s commander, Colonel Yousef al-Jader (Abu Furat). Abu Furat was killed by the Syrian Arab Army’s shelling of Aleppo Infantry School, north of Aleppo in 2012. Abu Furat was the commander of the Free Syrian Army’s Liwa al-Tahwid. The demonstrators also changed slogans against the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar al-Assad

Hama:

Syrian Arab Army captured Tell Khanazir and Al-Zahraa from the rebels in the northern Hama. Several sources also reported SAA ‘s capture of Al-Mushayrifah village, however, the locality should be considered as disputed for now, as the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Ibaa News Agency reported that SAA ‘s attack on the village was repelled. It appears that the SAA ‘s capture of Al-Zahraa reported by pro- SAA sources on the 12th of December was false.

Approximate situation in the northern Hama. Source: Emmanuel

Deir al-Zour:

Islamic State’s vehicle-borne improvised explosive device killed a civilian at the outskirts of the Syrian Democratic Forces-held Al-Jaradhi village.

Islamic State’s Amaq Agency claimed that the Islamic State’s sniper killed an element of the Syrian Democratic Forces near the village of Al-Jaradhi.

Approximate situation in the eastern Deir al-Zour. Source: Lucio Cienfuegos

Damascus:

Syrian Arab Army’s artillery shelled Douma, Harasta, Saqba and Jisreen in the East Ghouta. According to the Syrian Civil Defense (The White Helmets) three civilians were killed and several wounded in the shelling of the aforementioned localities.

Preparations are underway for the evacuation of foreign Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s fighters and their families from the East Ghouta towards Idlib.

Syrian government’s National Reconciliation Committee in Al-Assali neighborhood, southern Damascus opened negotiations with the Islamic State regarding an exchange deal. The committee demanded that the Islamic State hands over two bodies of National Defense Forces’ elements killed three days ago during the clashes with the IS in Al-Tadamon neighborhood. In return, Syrian government would release several detainees, reportedly relatives of the Islamic State’s fighters.

Syrian Arab Army captured Tell al-Mantar, Tell al-Ziyat, and Al-Duhur al-Aswad from the rebel Jabal al-Sheikh operations room in Beit Jinn pocket. Member of the information office of the Jabal al-Sheikh operations room, Ziad Salah stated that the rebels clashed with SAA in Tell al-Ziyat and Al-Duhur al-Aswad, destroying one tank during the clashes.

Daraa:

Clashes erupted between Free Syrian Army’s factions and IS-linked Jaysh Khalid ibn al-Walid in the Yarmouk basin, southwestern Daraa.

Iraq

Diyala:

Islamic State’s improvised explosive device targeted Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) elements in Esiod area, northeastern Muqdadiya. According to the Amaq Agency, several elements of the Al-Hashd al-Shaabi were killed and wounded in the explosion.

Baghdad:

Iraqi Joint Operations announced the start of the cleaning operations in Matibija area and its surroundings by the Iraqi forces from Salah al-Deen, Samarra and Tigris. Forces from Salah al-Deen axis combed 14 villages, finding and destroying seven Islamic State’s improvised explosive device and headquarters. Forces from Tigris axis detonated two improvised explosive device. The cleaning operations continue in the aforementioned area.

Afghanistan

Faryab Province:

Afghan National Security Forces killed 20 and wounded 26 fighters of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Khaja Sahib Posh and Shirin Tagab districts, as a part of the “Prophet 8” operation.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan captured Afghan National Army’s checkpoint in Ghandab directorate. IEA didn’t state the exact ANA ‘s casualties from the encounter, but they reported seizure of an assault rifle, a pistol, a radio transmitter, eight RPG rounds, and 950 bullets for an assault rifle.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ambushed and killed two members of the Afghan militia in Pashtun Kot district.

Afghan National Army and Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan clashed for the third day in Tuba Qashlaq directorate. IEA claimed that four ANA ‘s tanks were destroyed and a large number of soldiers killed and wounded during the past three days.

Sar-e Pol Province:

Afghan National Security Forces started “Alborz 20” operation against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, aimed at eliminating the group’s presence in Sangjark directorate. Over the past few days, ANSF launched several attacks against IEA in the directorate, but the latter was able to repel them all. During the first day of the operation, one IEA fighter was killed and seven wounded.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan raided Afghan National Army’s “intelligence headquarters”, inflicting sizeable damage to the headquarters and causing several casualties among the army’s ranks.

Baghlan Province:

Afghan National Security Forces killed three and wounded eight fighters of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Jalqeh and Nahrin districts.

Nangarhar Province:

Afghan National Security Forces’ operations against the Islamic State in Khogyani district resulted in death of five Islamic State’s fighters and injury of additional four.

Ghazni Province:

Afghan National Security Forces killed two and wounded two fighters of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Giro district.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s improvised explosive device destroyed Afghan National Police’s vehicle and wounded two policemen in Qarabagh district.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s snipers attacked Afghan National Police’s checkpoint in Arzu directorate. The attack resulted in death of one policeman and injury of another one.

Zabul Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan attacked Afghan National Army’s elements in Mizan district, killing one soldier and forcing others to retreat from the area.

Helmand Province:

Afghan National Security Forces conducted operations against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Marjah and Nad Ali districts, killing eight and wounding two IEA fighters, as well as destroying a vehicle.

CJTF-OIR :

CJTF-OIR announced a change in their publishing policy. Now two strikes reports will be published each week, on Mondays and Fridays.

Amaq Agency:

Other:

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