Moments ago in the Al-Quneitra Governorate’s western countryside, the Syrian Arab Army’s 90th Brigade of the 9th Armored Division – in coordination with Liwaa Suqour Al-Quneitra (Al-Quneitra Hawks Brigade) and Fouj Al-Joulan (Golan Regiment) – imposed full control over the strategic town of Al-Samdaniyah Al-Gharbiyah (west Al-Samdaniyah) after an intense 48 hour battle with the Islamist rebels of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Jabhat Al-Nusra (Syrian Al-Qaeda group).

West Al-Samdaniyah had been contested for the last 8 months before the Syrian Armed Forces finally overran the Islamist rebel defenses and seized the entire town this morning; this is the 90th Brigade’s first major victory in the Al-Quneitra Governorate after losing much of the province in 2014.

Firefights are still ongoing between the Syrian Arab Army’s 90th Brigade and the Islamist rebels; however, the latter is currently on the defense against the advancing pro-government forces that are attempting to capture the territory surrounding the provincial capital and the U.N. ceasefire line.