The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a heavy attack on the key hilltop of Tal Malah Friday, June 28, targeting the area from their positions east of the Mhardeh-Sqaylabiyeh Road, Al-Masdar News reports.

Backed by heavy artillery, the Syrian Arab Army was engaged in a fierce battle with the militants of Jaysh Al-Izza and Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham at both Tal Malah and the nearby town of Jibeen in northwestern Hama.

The battle would rage until the late afternoon when the Syrian Arab Army was forced to withdraw from the area after suffering a number of casualties and the destruction of at least three vehicles.

According to a military source near the front-lines, the Syrian military suffered between 20-25 casualties during the assault on the hilltop.

Both the Syrian Army and militant forces in northwestern Hama have suffered heavy losses over the last 48 hours, with both parties launching separate attacks on different locations in the governorate.