3 infiltrating Assad militiamen killed by FSA in Aleppo countryside

Heavy clashes erupted on Saturday (January 5) on the front of Al-Zaharaa neighbourhood in Aleppo western countryside between the Assad militias and the opposition factions, Orient News correspondent said.

A group of the Assad sectarian militias tried to infiltrate into the buildings of the Zaharaa neighborhood, but the Free Syrian Army frustrated their attempt, killing and injuring a number of the infiltrating group.

Tareq Awar, a FSA local commander, said, the Assad militiamen tried - in the infiltration attempt - to capture the hill of Farfoor that overlooks the Kafr Hamra town and the Mountain of Ma'ara after heavy shelling on the these areas.

The commander added that three Assad militiamen were killed while the remaining members fled away in flight. Heavy artillery shelling took place by the Assad group to hall off the dead bodies. 

These clashes come amid the Assad continuous violations reported in the area which is considered a de-escaltion zone after the Sochi deal reached between the Turkish and the Russian presidents last September.