HADER (Syria), (Sputnik) – Over the past month, the Syrian army has achieved significant success in the south of the Aleppo province with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces, having liberated some 80 villages.
War Over the Motorway
The Syrian army and the local militias have continued to break through to the governmental motorway, stretching from Damascus through Homs up to Aleppo, the economic capital of the country. The army has been tasked with taking the road under its control and easing the communication between Aleppo and the rest of the country.
The road to Aleppo lies through villages of Al-Salamiyah and Khanaser. This part of the motorway was controlled by the Islamic State jihadist group militants just days ago. They managed to take control of the area during a sandstorm, attacking the governmental block posts.
It took the Syrian army and the Russian aviation 15 days to liberate the motorway. The residents of Aleppo were completely cut off during that period of time.
Aleppo in Darkness
Aleppo, the largest city of Syria, is in complete dark, with the small lights of power generators shining through few windows. The cars are flowing in a ceaseless, chaotic pattern and hundreds of people are hurrying somewhere. Gun bursts can be heard in the outskirts, and it seems that people are trying to flee the war.
The difficulties with electricity and the internet arose after the militants took over southern and western parts of the province of Aleppo where the power plants are located.
"I know our army has come very close to the governmental motorway and the town of Zerbe, where one of the power plants is located. Soon it will be reclaimed and we shall be able to live with electricity. Not 24 hours a day, of course, but in much more comfort than we live in now," hotel administrator Hassan told RIA Novosti.
Fights Over Strategic Heights
The warzone is not far – in only 45 minutes from the Aleppo downtown it is a completely different world where everything smells of gunpowder and mortar shells explode every moment.
The villages here have only been liberated recently. The militias and the army managed to liberate a height around here and are trying to reclaim a neighboring altitude. The motorway is visible from these heights.
"The liberated territory is large, both in the direction of the Damascus-Aleppo motorway and in the northwestern Aleppo province… It was carried out jointly with the militias, as well as with the assistance of the Russian aviation which destroyed the fortified positions of the enemy," Mohamad Isa, a local commander, said.
Two mortar shells fall on the height, and the servicemen decide to return back to the village. They parked their cars far away from each other in narrow roads to avoid being shelled.
The extremists have intensified their attacks, with the shells flying in every ten minutes. The Grad missile systems are firing against the extremists. Every hill is being fought after.
Unlike Aleppo, the neighboring villages have not suffered much, but many of the houses cannot be entered as they are mined.
"Everything is easy – after the artillery barrage we began the storm from multiple directions simultaneously. The Mujahideen did not expect us to be this close," Mohamad said, adding that the militants mined some houses before retreating.
The mortar fight intensifies, and the army is retreating to the neighboring village of Hader, which was a Nusra Front stronghold several days ago.
Three groups of militias are heading towards the frontline as the army retreats, their fighting spirit impressive.
"Come here tomorrow, we shall show you and tell you how the operation went," one of them shouted.
Sad News
The people living in Hader returned home after the village were liberated. Ahmad Ibrahim, the secretary of the Aleppo branch of the ruling Ba’ath party, was one of the people to return to the village. He was born and grew up in Hader.
"After the village was freed from the terrorists, the communal services have started recovering the infrastructure, the water supply and electricity. It is necessary to create all the conditions necessary for the normal life of those who live here. I came with my family to support the villagers," Ibrahim said, standing by his house.
Despite the air of happiness, the faces of the soldiers were worried. It was clear that the fighting was only several miles away, and that the shells of the militants could reach Hader any moment.
"I was the only person in the village when the militants came. I’ve been living here for 30 years and nobody can make me leave. Things turned for the worst when the extremists came, food became very expensive and they made us follow their rules," Amina Sleyman, a local old lady, said.
Mohammad Nazer at 28 had much experience in the military and field filming. He was one of the first journalists to start reporting on the events on the frontline with the Syrian army, and knew all the newest information. One of the mortar rounds fell right at the spot where he had been filming.
There is no war without loss. The military authorities keep reporting about the latest liberated villages, while the Syrian civilians live in the hope of peace, for things to return to the way they were five years ago.
