Syria in Past 24 Hours: ISIL’s Presence in Deir Ezzur City Coming to the End

Deir Ezzur

The army men drove ISIL out of the old airport and al-Rasafeh neighborhoods in Deir Ezzur city.

The army’s operation inflicted major losses on the ISIL.

The army’s engineering units started defusing bombs and landmines in the newly-liberated neighborhoods as soon as their liberation.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian Army troops engaged in tough battle with ISIL in the remaining terrorist-held neighborhoods in Deir Ezzur city, imposing control over more areas.

The army men continued their advances from al-Omal neighborhood and seized control of Qasan Aboud square near the Khasarat neighborhood and al-Soyouf square.

Also, the army men won back Moqhi al-Jandul crossroad.

A large number of ISIL terrorists have been killed or wounded in the street battle.

The army men have established a safe corridor to evacuate civilians from ISIL-held neighborhoods.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian Army soldiers continued the Valfajr 3 operation in Southwestern Deir Ezzur, advancing further towards ISIL-held regions at border with Iraq.

The army men engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL terrorists within the framework of the Valfajr 3 operation East of the newly-liberated T2 oil pumping station, advancing 11 km more towards the key town of Albu Kamal near border with Iraq.

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

Also in the past 24 hours, Russian strategic Tu-22M3 bombers, which were covered by Su-30SM fighters deployed at the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia, launched an airstrike on ISIL targets in Syria, according to the country’s Defense Ministry’s statement.

“Six long-range Tu-22M3 bombers took off from the territory of Russia that flew over the territory of Iran and Iraq have launched a massive airstrike on the terrorist targets near the city of Abu Kemal in the Deir Ezzur province,” the statement said.

Russian reconnaissance means have confirmed the destruction of terrorists’ fortified areas, arms and ammunition depots, the statement said.

Hama

The Syrian Army troops stormed the defense lines of Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at or the Levant Liberation Board) in Northern Hama, and imposed control over two more regions.

The army soldiers captured the villages of Mosheirefh Advan and Mosheirefeh Mowayleh Northwest of the town of Sheikh Hilal.

The Al-Nusra suffered heavy casualties and its military equipment sustained major damage in the attack.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian Army troops pushed the Al-Nusra Front back from more territories in Northern Hama, coming further close to the Hama province’s administrative border with terrorist-held province of Idlib in Northwestern Syria, field sources confirmed.

The sources said that the army forces captured a number of regions in Northern Hama, including Mosheirefeh Abu Lefeh, Jubb al-Jamlan, Rasm Abu Mayal, deployed in regions parallel to Idlib’s border.

The sources further said that tens of al-Nusra have been killed in the army operation in Northern Hama, backed up by the heavy fire of artillery units and Syrian Air Forces’ attacks.

The sources added that the army is planning to continue its operation to capture Abu al-Dhuhour airbase in Eastern Idlib.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian Army troops advanced further against the Al-Nusra in Northern Hama on Wednesday, inching closer to the key bastion of the terrorists.

The army deployed 6 km away from the town of al-Rahjan, the most important base of Al-Nusra in Northern Hama, after taking control over the towns along the road connecting the towns of Ithriya and Sheikh Hilal to each other.

In the meantime, the Russian Air Force pounded the Al-Nusra positions in the towns of al-Rahjan, al-Hamdamiyeh and Zaqbar in Wadi al-Azib region along road to Ithriya.

The Syrian army is planning to restore security to the roads that connect Hama to Homs and later secure the road to Raqqa.

The army also intends to purge Southeast of Ithriya region of terrorists.

Aleppo

The Syrian Marines have been dispatched from the Badiyeh (desert) al-Sham in Southern Syria to the Northeastern part of Hama province, a military source reported.

The Lebanon-based AMN quoted a military source as saying on Tuesday night that the marines have been deployed to the Ithriya-Khanasser road in order to help the Qalamoun Shield forces of the 3rd Division and Republican Guard take back the Al-Nusra Front stronghold in al-Rahjan.

Once al-Rahjan is captured, the Syrian Marines will play a major role in the upcoming battle to clear the Southern part of the Aleppo.

The final preparations are being made for the Southern Aleppo offensive, as the Syrian Army and their allies, mainly Hezbollah, plan to retake the regions of Khan Touman, Tal Al-‘Eis, and Al-Rashedeen.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army’s engineering units discovered a depot of Italy-made landmines during their clean up operation in Aleppo province, a Russian media outlet reported.

The Arabic-language website of RT quoted the commander of engineering units as reporting that they found 30 landmines made in Italy and a number of hand-made rockets in terrorist groups’ positons in the town of Um Adas and its surrounding areas.

RT further said that the region where the army men found the Italy-made landmines was occupied by the terrorists over three years ago, adding that C4 explosive material has been used in the landmines that is more powerful than TNT.

Also on Wednesday, an Arab media outlet reported that the Turkish military is about to establish its first military base in Western Aleppo in the next few days.

The Arabic-language al-Watan daily reported that Turkey has completed preliminary steps for the establishment of its first military base in Jabal Sheikh Barakat near the town of Dar al-Izzah in Western Aleppo, adding that the Ankara’s move is a flagrant violation of the Astana 6 Agreement.

Al-Watan further said that the Turkish military base in Aleppo will be one of the eight bases Ankara plans to build in Northern and Northwestern Syria.

The paper quoted local source as reporting that the Turkish army’s bulldozers have sped up construction operation of the base in Western Aleppo.

In the meantime, sources close to Nouralddeen al-Zinki movement said that the Al-Nusra Front militants are still accompanying the Turkish army convoy that carry military equipment to Western Aleppo, adding that the Jabal Sheikh Barakat base will possibly be set up in the next few days.