The Syrian Arab Army’s 7th Mechanized Division and 9th Armored Division – in cooperation with Hezbollah (Party of God) – have launched an assault on the Al-Qaeda linked “Al Nusra Front” (Jabhat Al-Nusra) at the villages of Zimreen, Kafr Nissaj, and Al-Sinameen in the Dara’a Governorate on Friday.

Zimreen and Sinameen are strategically located south of the besieged village of Kafr Shamis; this battle will be the most difficult for the 7th Mechanized Division due to the volatility of the terrain making many tanks and heavy armory immobile.

Meanwhile, in Kafr Nissaj, Hezbollah and the 9th Armored Division will be operating in this village north of Tal Al-Haraa. Similar to Zimreen and Sinameen, Kafr Nissaj’s terrain is very rugged and surrounded by hills to the east.

Fierce clashes between the opposing forces continued at Tal ‘Antar and Kafr Shamis, resulting in another bloody day in the Dara’a Governorate. According to a military source, the intense clashes in the northern countryside were a stalemate, with neither side making any progress.

The SAA’s 5th Armored Division has successfully repelled the brief rebel offensive at the village of Qarfa in the Izra’ District, securing all perimeters after the Al-Nusra Front and Free Syrian Army (FSA) briefly infiltrated into this strategic area.

Despite the good news for the 5th Division in Qarfa, the rebel forces have continued their push into the Izra’ District’s village of Khirbet Ghazali. The rebels were able to capture the village entrance after violent clashes persisted for much of Friday.