MESOP LATEST : Assad army to storm IS-held area in Hasakah

ARA News – 31-8-2014 – Al-Hasakah, Syria – The Syrian regime’s military forces are preparing to storm the neighbourhood of Geweran in Hasakah city, northeast of Syria, following the entry of members of the Islamic State (IS), an al-Qaeda offshoot, to the neighbourhood, activists based in Hasakah told ARA News.

Militants of the Islamic State (IS), an al-Qaeda offshoot, seized the southern countryside of Hasakah few months ago, and are currently struggling to take over Hasakah city and extend their areas of control in northeastern Syria after seizing Deir ez-Zor city last month.

Abu Zubair, a Tunisian national and a leading member of IS, reportedly entered Geweran neighbourhood last week, and became commander in chief of a newly established armed group loyal to the Islamic State. Meanwhile, sources in Geweran told ARA News that Abu Zubair-led armed group kidnapped on Friday four members of the pro-regime military forces in Hasakah and brought them to the neighbourhood. According to activists, the kidnapping of the four fighters led the pro-Assad military forces to take its decision and break into the neighbourhood, especially with the growing power of IS in southern Hasakah. “Dozens of military vehicles were seen at the entrance of Geweran neighbourhood. The Syrian regime will try to take over the neighbourhood at any cost,” said a local activist, on the condition of anonymity. Reporting by: Zaradasht Khalil Source: ARA News