The Euphrates Tainted With Blood: ISIS Attacks Multiple Sites in Deir Ezzor

The civilians in the provincial capital of Deir Ezzor have been without electricity and periodically without water for six months, as the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) brutal siege has deprived the residents of basic necessities inside the city’s parameters.

On Tuesday morning, things did not appear to get any better for the residents of this once fertile city; instead, they were awoken to a multitude of rockets and mortar shells being fired into their neighborhoods from ISIS’ positions across the Euphrates River.

Following the barrage of rockets and mortar shells fired into Deir Ezzor City, ISIS stormed a number of sites inside the provincial capital, as they attempted to push past the Syrian Armed Forces’ defensive positions and capture the densely populated areas of the city.

Among ISIS’ targets on Tuesday was the strategic Al-Sina’a (Industrial) District, an area of the city that the Syrian Armed Forces have kept a close grip on due to its imperative factories and buildings.

Unfortunately for ISIS, this was one of the areas they struggled to find success at; this attack by the terrorist group was repelled by the Syrian Arab Army’s 137th Artillery Brigade of the 17th Reserve Division after a series of fierce clashes on Tuesday morning.

Outside of the city gates, the terrorist group charged the Deir Ezzor Military Airport’s eastern walls in order to evade the 137th Brigade’s hawkish defenses around the base.

However, once again, ISIS would find themselves in a difficult position at the Deir Ezzor Military Airport, as the SAA’s 137th Brigade thwarted the terrorist group’s assault, while also killing 28 confirmed enemy combatants; this forced ISIS to withdrawal their assault.

In in addition to the fighting at the aforementioned sites, the Syrian Armed Forces and ISIS clashed at the Al-Jubeileh, Al-Rashidiyah, Sheikh Yassine, Al-Kanamat, Al-Arfa, Al-Hamidiyah, Al-Husseiniyah, and Al-Haweeqa Districts of Deir Ezzor City.

Fireifghts between the SAA and ISIS were also reported at the villages of Al-Jafra and Al-Muri’iyah, as the terrorist group attempted to gain ground near the Deir Ezzor Military Airport.