Direct Confrontation Growing More Likely between Syrian Troops, SDF in Deir Ezzur

The source said that the SDF fighters have moved towards al-Halabiyeh square after the army men captured the square in al-Salehiyeh region at the Northern entrance of Deir Ezzur city.

The source added that the SDF have gained control over al-Riyan ice-making workshop in the village of al-Salehiyeh only 500 meters away from al-Halabiyeh square, increasing the possibility of direct clashes between the two sides.

The SDF’s move is aimed at accessing the Northern entrance of Deir Ezzur city and imposing control over al-Amr oilfield, so, capturing al-Halabiyeh square, which links the Western, Northern and Northeastern countryside of Deir Ezzur to each other, would be a great strategic achievement for the Syrian soldiers.

Military sources said on Saturday that the army soldiers engaged in a tough battle with ISIL and imposed control over several positions near al-Hosseiniyeh, laying siege on the remaining terrorist-held neighborhoods in Deir Ezzur city.

Also, the army soldiers cut off the road connecting the Eastern and Northwestern countryside of Deir Ezzur to each other on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River, they added.

ISIL suffered heavy casualties and its military hardware and vehicles sustained major damage in the attacks.

In the meantime, reports also said that the army units inflicted major defeats on ISIL in the neighborhoods of al-Sina’ah and al-Orfi.