ISIL’s Military Hardware Sustains Major Damage in Russian Air Raids in Eastern Syria

“The Russian air force continued to successfully hit ISIL’s targets, destroying four tanks, 16 all-terrain vehicles armed with heavy machine guns, six heavy vehicles with ammunition, and two fortified artillery positions in Deir Ezzur in the last 24 hours,” the Russian ministry said.

The ministry said that the ISIL is regrouping and preparing fortified positions in Deir Ezzur after the Syrian government troops’ advances in the Euphrates Valley region with Russian aerial assistance.

“The effective actions of the Russian warplanes allowed the Syrian government forces under the command of Gen. Hassan Suheil to continue the offensive along the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River to Deir Ezzur that is aimed at lifting the siege of the city,” its added.

ISIL is transferring heavy military equipment, including tanks and pickup trucks equipped with large-caliber weapons and mortars to Deir Ezzur amid the Syrian army operation, the ministry said.

“While realizing that the foothold around Deir Ezzur is the last stronghold of international terrorists on Syrian soil, militants are transferring heavy equipment, including tanks and all-terrain vehicles armed with large-caliber guns and mortars,” the ministry went on to say.

Relevant reports said on Monday that the Syrian Army’s artillery and missile units opened heavy fire at ISIL’s positions and destroyed their bomb-making workshop near al-Tamo’ein square, killing the commander in charge of the workshop Abu Abdullah Tunisi and 12 others.

The Syrian and Russian fighter jets, meanwhile, carried out several rounds of combat flights over ISIL’s positions in Panorama farms, al-Omal neighborhood, old airport, Kasarat neighborhood and the village of Ma’adan Atiq in Southern outskirts of Deir Ezzur, killing a number of terrorists and destroying military hardware.