BEIRUT – Syrian rebels have launched a new offensive in Quneitra in which they aim once again to open a supply route through the province bordering Israel toward opposition-held positions surrounded by regime troops in Damascus’s western Ghouta area.

On Friday, the Syrian Revolutionaries Front, Ansar al-Islam Front and Jaysh al-Sabtain all announced they were starting a campaign entitled “'In Aid of the Children of Madaya,” a reference to the Qalamoun town besieged by Syrian regime forces and Hezbollah.

The rebel factions explained they sought to capture Jaba, Tel Kroum, Tel Bazzaq, Al-Rubaei Checkpoint and Mant al-Hisan, all areas east of the regime-held towns of Baath City and Khan Arnabeh.

In the ensuing days, rebel groups have shelled regime positions, amid reports of clashes around Jaba, however the opposition factions have yet to notch any advances on the ground.

The pro-opposition Al-Souria Net said Sunday that rebels were targeting regime points with artillery, mortars and heavy machinery fire “in the hope of achieving progress in the field in the coming hours.”

Syrian Revolutionaries Front spokesperson Abu Siraj al-Lajat told the outlet that Jaba, Tel Kroum, Tel Bazzaq, Mant Hisan and Tel Shaar all constitute the “first defensive lines to the center of the Quneitra province.”

"Their capture would be an important first step to the liberation of all of Quneitra province and the opening of the road for the rebels towards the western Damascus countryside,” the rebel media official explained.

The spokesperson claimed that Ansar al-Islam had withdrawn from the campaign “for unspecified reasons,” however the rebel group has continued to upload videos showing its troops engaging regime forces in Quneitra.

"The SRF has sent more reinforcements to achieve the goals of the battle,” Lajat added.

Meanwhile, an official in the Southern Front spoke on the strategic goals of the campaign in an interview with the Syrian News Desk online outlet.

Abdul Razzaq Abu al-Abd told the site that the Quneitra rebels aimed to punch through regime lines toward Damascus’ western Ghouta area, which is besieged by regime forces.

He explained the battle for Qunetria will be divided up into a series of stages, with the first one aiming to cut the regime’s supply line to Tel Bazzaq and Tel Kroum, after which both the areas will be attacked.



“This will be followed by an attack on both and then the completion of the attack on the other military positions until [the rebels] reach the Salam Highway, which leads to important military positions that are part of the Brigade 90 base.”

In late September 2015, rebels launched the And Give Good Tidings to the Patient battle that also aimed to open a logistical route to western Ghouta, however Hezbollah and the Syrian regime troops mustered troops for a successful counteroffensive in the ensuing weeks.

The pro-Assad forces seized the strategic Tel Ahmar height on October 12, 2015, two days after they took back a mountaintop known as the UN Hill.​

NOW’s English news desk editor Albin Szakola (@AlbinSzakola) wrote this report. Ullin Hope translated the Arabic-language source material.