https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-may-15-2017-govt-forces-make-large-gains-in-aleppo-and-damascus/

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Pro-government forces, led by the Syrian Army Tiger Forces, have made significant progress against ISIS in the province of Aleppo. Last weekend, government troops liberated the Jirah Military Airbase after few days of clashes with ISIS terrorists. ISIS attempted to counter attack at the military airbase and near Jirah Saghir village but failed to achieve its goals. The Syrian Army reportedly lost a T-55 battle tank, a BMP-1 armoured vehicle and a technical armed with a 23mm gun in these clashes.

The military airbase was the last major ISIS stronghold on the way to the important ISIS-held town of Maskaneh that will likely become the next target of the government advance in the province of Aleppo. Advancing through Maskaneh, government troops would reach an area controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Tabqah countryside in the province of Raqqah. This will also allow to secure a large chunk of the Ithriyah-Aleppo road.

Meanwhile, ISIS deployed reinforcements in the area between the Jirah Military Airbase and near Maskanah. Thus, it became clear that the terrorist group was going to defend this important town seriously.

The Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces liberated a large area in eastern Damascus from militant groups after a successful military operation in Qaboun and reaching a withdrawal agreement with militants and their families in Thishreen.

A militant infighting continued in Eastern Ghouta where the Al-Rahman Corps and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a joint attack on positions of Jaish al-Islam in the Misraba area. This was a continuation of tensions appeared among militant groups after they failed to retake the industrial area south of Qaboun from government forces.

The SDF advanced further against ISIS terrorists in the province of Raqqah, capturing the villages of Atshana, al-Malali, Abu Khabret al-Rachid, Mazrat al-Ansar, Khirbat al-Khan and reaching an abadoned military base north of the ISIS self-proclaimed capital. Thus, SDF units deployed in about 4 km from the entrance to the city. If the base is captured, it will be a start of clashes in the vicinity of Raqqah and will mark a preparation for the first phase of its storm.