Hello and welcome to the 272nd installment of the SWD .

Military events/news are listed below by the governorates:

Aleppo:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s commander of Jabal al-Hoss sector and leader of Jaysh Osama, Mohammad Ramadan al-Hajji known as Abu Amara al-Hossi, was killed by an improvised explosive device in the southern Aleppo countryside. Al-Hossi was one of the most prominent HTS ‘ commanders that fought against the Syrian Arab Army and its allies in the southern Aleppo. Al-Hossi also participated in the recent clashes between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham. Abu Amara al-Hossi is known for stepping on the Free Syrian Army’s flag at the outskirts of Saraqib.

Latakia:

President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to the Hmeimim Air Base, currently operated by Russia. Putin met with the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar al-Assad and announced partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria. Commander of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria, Colonel General Sergey Surovikin said that 23 warplanes, two Ka-52 “Alligator” attack helicopters, Russian Military Police, Special Forces, field military hospital, and demining (sapper) team will leave Syria.

Hama:

Free Syrian Army’s Jaysh al-Nasr reportedly targeted Syrian Arab Army’s troops in the vicinity of Al-Zafariyah and Al-Mushayrifah villages with mortars, allegedly killing seven SAA ‘s elements and destroying a vehicle.

Deir al-Zour:

Syrian Democratic Forces reached an agreement with the Iraqi Army to establish a joint coordination center, in order to ensure the security of the Iraqi-Syrian border.

Islamic State launched a large attack against the Syrian Arab Army’s positions northwest of Al-Bukamal (Albu Kamal). Islamic State’s Amaq Agency reported capture of Al-Hasrat village north of Al-Bukmal from the Syrian Arab Army.

Islamic State clashed with the Syrian Democratic Forces near the village of Suwaidan and according to the former’s news agency, five SDF ‘s fighters were killed in the clashes.

Islamic State’s improvised explosive device killed three fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the vicinity of Hawi Abu Hammam village, according to the Amaq Agency.

Approximate situation in the eastern Deir al-Zour, HD version of this map can be found here. Source: Lucio Cienfuegos

Damascus:

Two factions of Faylaq al-Rahman clashed between themselves in the city of Hammouriyah, in the east Ghouta. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the clashes between Katibat 101 (101st Battalion) and Liwa Abu Musa al-Asheari (Abu Musa al-Ash’ari Brigade) erupted after Faylaq al-Rahman erected a checkpoint on the outskirts of Hammouriyah and expelled Liwa Abu Musa al-Asheari’s elements from the area. Faylaq al-Rahman closed all checkpoints leading to and out of Hammouriyah, as the group’s factions led by Katibat 101 are attacking Liwa Abu Musa al-Asheari’s headquarters in the locality. People of Hammouriyah organized a demonstration in the locality to stop the infighting, but it came under fire and was aborted. Reports suggest that the clashes between the two groups wounded three civilians.

Syrian Arab Army and rebel Jabal al-Sheikh operations room clashed in Beit Jinn area, as the former tried to advance against the latter in the area. Clashes were concentrated in Mazraat Beit Jinn and Mugh al-Meer area. Member of the information office of the Jabal al-Sheikh operations room, Ziad Salah stated that 15 SAA ‘s elements were killed and wounded and a tank destroyed during the clashes.

Daraa:

Engineering battalion of the Free Syrian Army’s Quwa Shabab al-Sunnah (Youth of Sunna Forces) dismantled two improvised explosive devices and detonated four of them on the road between Samj and Tisiyah villages. Director of the Information Office in Quwa Shabab al-Sunnah, Abu Ghazi stated that the improvised explosive devices on the road were planted by the Syrian Arab Army.

Iraq

Baghdad:

Iraqi Security Forces conducted operations in several areas in the vicinity of Baghdad. In Albu Shalal and Al-Hasiwa areas, north of Baghdad, security forces found an RPG launcher, six detonators, and a kilogram (two pounds) of trinitrotoluene (TNT) with a fuse. West of Baghdad, in Al-Halabsa area, security forces defused seven improvised explosive devices and seized large quantities of C-4. In Al-Fahil Umm al-Jir area, south of Baghdad, security forces found 18 various mortar shells and arrested several wanted individuals.

Afghanistan

Nangarhar Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) claimed responsibility for the yesterday’s assassination of Afghan National Police’s chief of Khogyani district, Habibur Rahman. IEA stated that another commander was wounded by the explosion which killed Rahman, along with three of his bodyguards.

Afghan National Security Forces started large-scale operations against the Islamic State in Khogyani district. Operations started yesterday and have been focused on the villages of Dhaka, Nadafan, and Mirzakhel. So far, ANSF killed nine IS’ fighters and wounded four.

Two Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s improvised explosive devices targeted Afghan National Police in the city of Jalalabad. The first explosion destroyed ANP ‘s vehicle, killing two and injuring three elements. The second explosion targeted ANP ‘s troops arriving at the scene of the first explosion, killing one and injuring five elements.

Maidan Wardak Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ambushed Afghan National Police’s convoy in Saydabad district. Fighters of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan destroyed four vehicles and caused unknown number of casualties among the police’s ranks.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan attacked Afghan National Army’s checkpoint in Jek directorate, killing one soldier. Furthermore, in the same directorate, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan attacked Afghan National Army’s troops and killed one soldier.

Khost Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s improvised explosive device targeted Afghan National Army’s vehicle and killed commander Nassim Tenni and two soldiers, as well as wounded another two soldiers.

Ghazni Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan assassinated Mohammad Taher, commander of the Afghan National Army. The assassination took place in Qarabagh district.

Paktika Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s inghimasi (suicide fighters) stormed Afghan National Army’s checkpoint in Omna district. Inghimasi killed a soldier and wounded two others during the clashes for the checkpoint, which was then captured by IEA . IEA seized several weapons from the checkpoint.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s improvised explosive device targeted the vehicle of the head of the Shura Council of Yahyakhel district, Sardar Khan. Khan and his bodyguards were wounded by the explosion.

Nimruz Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s improvised explosive device targeted Afghan National Army’s elements in Khash Rod district. There was no information regarding the casualties from the explosion.

Helmand Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ambushed elements of the Afghan militia in Lashkar Gah district, killing two elements, destroying a motorcycle and seizing an assault rifle.

Kandahar Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan raided Afghan National Police’s checkpoint on the road near the city of Kandahar. The raid killed one element of the Afghan National Police.

CJTF-OIR :

Between the 8th and the 10th of December 2017 CJTF-OIR has conducted 13 strikes in Syria. CJTF-OIR ‘s main focus in Syria at the moment is Deir al-Zour-Albu Kamal region where they did 13 strikes supporting SDF ‘s operations against IS destroying two tactical vehicles, three fighting positions, a mortar system, an IS headquarters, an IS vehicle and an IS line of communication.

Full report on CJTF-OIR strikes conducted in both Syria & Iraq can be found here.

Amaq Agency:

Other:

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