BEIRUT, December 7. /TASS/. Syrian forces fighting against militants have gained a foothold in the northern part of the Homs province, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"The armed forces continue an effective operation towards Al-Dar al-Kabirah, Talbiseh and Ar-Rastan in the northern part of the Homs province under the protection of Syrian and Russian aircraft and armored vehicles, as well as artillery and missile units," the statement, published on Facebook (prohibited in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which is designated as extremist), reads.
According to the ministry, government troops "have eliminated dozens of terrorists who fled in panic, and destroyed large amounts of weapons and equipment."
Units of the Jabhat al-Nusra extremist group (outlawed in Russia) staged a large-scale attack on Syria’s northern governorates early on November 27. According to the Syrian army command, the terrorists attempted to seize a number of neighborhoods and military facilities, attacking the positions of government forces. Later, the Syrian army command said that government troops had to retreat from Aleppo to regroup and prepare for a counterattack.
On December 5, the Syrian army said that militants had infiltrated several neighborhoods in the city of Hama, the administrative center of the governorate of the same name in western Syria, and government forces were redeployed outside the city.