Hello and welcome to the 661st installment of the SWD .

Military events/news are listed below by the governorates:

Aleppo:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham entered the city of Al-Atarib, after an agreement with the local authorities. According to the agreement, Syrian Salvation Government which operates in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-held areas will be in control of the city, while part of the local fighters will be transported to northern Aleppo and will be forbidden from returning to the locality. The agreement also included the dissolution of Harakat Nour al-Deen al-Zenki’s allies; Thuwar al-Sham and Biyareq al-Islam. Reports suggest that this concludes Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s operations in western Aleppo.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham temporarily closed three crossings between Idlib and northern Aleppo, which is under the control of the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham reportedly closed Al-Ghazawiya, Simeon, and Atme crossings for three days due to security and military tensions in the region.

Afrin Liberation Forces’ (Hêzên Rizgariya Efrînê) released a new statement stating that two elements of the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army were killed in Afrin region. Full statement released by the group;

Our forces continue their military operations against the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries in Afrin, where the enemy forces receive painful blows. On 5 January, our fighters carried out a qualitative operation against a military vehicle carrying the mercenaries of “al-Jabha al-Shamia” in the village of Kubla of Şêrawa district where it is confirmed that two mercenaries were killed and a military vehicle was destroyed.

Approximate situation in western Aleppo. Source: Emmanuel

Idlib:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham reportedly killed one and captured one element of the Islamic State in an operation near Darkoush. The two aforementioned individuals previously escaped from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-held part of Idlib Central Prison on the 5th of August 2018.

Deir al-Zour:

Syrian Democratic Forces released a statement announcing that its forces managed to arrest five foreign elements of the Islamic State in eastern Deir al-Zour. Full statement released by the Syrian Democratic Forces’ Press Office;

Al-Jazeera Tempest campaign is still advancing in the final stages to liberate the remaining areas controlled by IS. Our forces have liberated vast areas of the terrorist organization’s grip and have surrounded them in a small pocket, receiving daily fatal blows from our fighters. The terrorist organization- desperate -tries to stop the advance of our forces by resorting to all methods and ways to launch counter-attacks against our forces. In recent days, when large groups of displaced people in Deir-ez-Zor were trying to get out of the terrorist organization areas, we were assured through the operations of tracing and permanent monitoring that elements of the terrorist organization were attacking the convoys of the displaced. As a result of these operations, on December 30, 2018, our forces arrested five foreign terrorist elements, of American, Irish and Pakistani nationalities. These are the identities of detained terrorists: 1 – Warren Christopher Clark, nicknamed “Abu Mohammed the American” of the state of Houston-USA. 2 – Alexander Rosatovic from Dublin, Ireland. 3 – Zaid Abdel Hamid, nicknamed (Abu Zaid the American) from the United States of America. 4 – Fadhel Rahman Jad, nicknamed (Abu Enaam Muhajir) from the city of Lahore – Pakistan. 5 – Abdul Azim Rachout, nicknamed (Abu Omar the Pakistani) from the city of Sialkot – Pakistan. “

Afghanistan

Herat Province:

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (Taliban) improvised explosive device destroyed an Afghan National Army’s armored vehicle, killing and wounding four elements in Aziz Abad area of Shindand district.

Urozgan Province:

Afghan National Security Forces killed four elements of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as well as found and defused 64 improvised explosive devices in Tarinkot district.

Helmand Province:

Afghan National Security Forces killed one and wounded one element of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Marjah district.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ambushed an Afghan National Army’s patrol, reportedly killing two soldiers in Maligir area of Jerashk district.

Approximate situation in Helmand province, HD version of this map can be found here. Source: Afganistan Bülteni

Kandahar Province:

Afghan National Security Forces killed nine elements of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as well as destroyed five fighting positions, and three motorcycles in Shah Wali Kot and Nesh districts. The forces also found and defused 38 improvised explosive devices in the aforementioned districts.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s improvised explosive device destroyed an Afghan National Army’s armored vehicle, reportedly killing and wounding five elements in Jilahore area of Arghandab district.

CJTF-OIR :

CJTF-OIR announced a change in their publishing policy. Now one strike report will be published each week on Mondays.

Amaq Agency:

Other:

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