Syria Direct: News Update 5-27-15

Regime soldiers buried alive while tunneling to Zamalka

Ajnad a-Sham destroyed a regime tunnel in the outskirts of Zamalka in East Ghouta on Tuesday, burying army soldiers inside, pro-opposition Smart News agency reported on Tuesday. 

“The regime dug the tunnel in order to infiltrate the rebels from behind,” activist Omran Abu Salloum, the director of local pro-opposition site Ghouta Now told Syria Direct on Wednesday.

“Members of Ajnad a-Sham stationed nearby discovered the tunnel after hearing the sound of digging, and they blew it up using locally-made TNT explosives,” Abu Salloum added.

The number of regime casualties remains unknown, as those stationed in the tunnel at the time of the explosion remain buried in the rubble, opposition news agency All4Syria reported on Wednesday.

Rebel-held Zamalka lies 10 kilometers from Damascus proper and borders the Jobar neighborhood, just east of the capital’s Abbasid Square, which saw heavy fighting between rebel forces and the regime last month.

Rebels advance on Aleppo prison

On the heels of victory at a north Aleppo industrial zone on Tuesday, rebels reportedly cut regime supply lines to the Aleppo Central Prison only hours later, a regime-held operations launching point to encirle Aleppo siege, reported the pro-opposition news agency Shahba Press on its Facebook page Tuesday.

“If the rebels take the Aleppo Central Prison, they’ll have smashed once and for all any regime thoughts of ever getting to [the rebel-encircled Shiite towns of] Nubl and Zahraa, and keeping up with regular supplies to the regime garrison at Bashkoi, 8km to the northwest,” Amar a-Shamali, an Aleppo-based journalist told Syria Direct on Wednesday.

The attacking rebels–a coalition of two Free Syrian Army and Islamist Front-affiliated brigades–first captured a regime-held factory complex about 8km northeast of Aleppo city, and 1km south of the Aleppo Central Prison.

Rebel fighters then descended from the high ground to battle regime forces guarding the supply lines between the Aleppo Prison and the village of Jaylan 1km to the east.

Regime forces then reportedly withdrew to the Aleppo Prison, after a bloody fight leaving at least 10 regime soldiers dead, reported pro-opposition All4Syria on Wednesday.

Regime pundit Hussein Marteda denied on Tuesday the rebels captured either the north-Aleppo factory complex, or cut supplies to the Aleppo prison.

 Rebels pummel regime positions near newly won Handarat industrial complex. Photo courtesy of Halab Today TV.