BEIRUT – Free Syrian Army-affiliated rebels have announced the start of an ambitious new campaign against ISIS in the remote eastern slopes of the Qalamoun Mountains northeast of Damascus.

In a statement issued Thursday morning, the 2nd Infantry Division announced the "beginning of the 'Thunder 1 Battle' in eastern Qalamoun against the aggressing [Islamic] State group (Daesh)."

Hours after touting the start of the battle, the group publicized a video which appeared to show one of its fighters firing a TOW anti-tank missile during clashes with ISIS.

2nd Infantry Division claims it fired TOW missile. (YouTube/2nd Infantry Division)



The stated main goal of the 2nd Infantry Division's campaign is to seize a number of ISIS positions in a stretch of barren territory along Syria's Highway 7—which runs north from Damascus toward the country's semi-desert region—in a bid to relieve rebel positions in eastern Qalamoun.

ISIS and a number of its affiliated groups in the area have fought back and forth battles with rebels as well as regime troops. In late January 2016, ISIS advanced on the Syrian army's Brigade 128 base, which lies a little over 10 kilometers east of the Damascus-Homs highway on the western slopes of the Qalamoun Mountains.

The 2nd Infantry Division said that it seeks to seize ISIS's position outside the Brigade 128 base, as well as the southern end of the Al-Afaii mountain chain and other nearby areas.

"If God grants us success and enables us to develop the attack in the direction of the enemy's positions and destroy him wherever he is in the area, [we intend to] capture all the surrounding hills and mountains, hold on to them firmly and open a road towards Muhassa."

The Muhassa area lies at a strategic point with Damascus to the south, the Qalamoun Mountains to the west and the Jordanian border to the southeast. ISIS's presence in Muhassa has disrupted rebel lines linking the eastern Qalamoun outskirts of Damascus with Jordan.

The FSA-affiliated faction's main base of operations is in the Ruhaybah Valley, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Muhassa.

The 2nd Infantry Division, which is led by Hani al-Jaaour, was formed on November 2, 2015 in a merger that brought together four local groups: the Ahl al-Sham Brigade, Al-Sadiq Brigade, Jund al-Qalamoun and Burqan Qalamoun.

The newly constituted faction claims that it has tank, armor, artillery, anti-armor and air defense battalions, however the group has not uploaded any videos or pictures showcasing such advanced capabilities. Videos uploaded to the 2nd Infantry Division's YouTube channel do not appear to show strong armor capabilities.​