Syrian Army Kicks Off Massive Ground, Air Operations in Eastern Homs Province

The Syrian army troops started their fresh military operations after pounding the terrorists’ military positions with artillery shells and missiles.

The Syrian army managed to take control of several regions Northeast of T4 airbase and East of Station 4, killing and injuring a number of the ISIL terrorists as well as destroying several military vehicles.

The army units also pounded the ISIL’s gathering centers and movements in Taloul Alab al-Tayas region Northeast of Station 4 in the Western part of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur), killing tens of the ISIL terrorists and destroying several of their military vehicles.

The Syrian fighter jets also hit the ISIL’s gathering centers, supply routes and movements of the terrorists in Arak and Western Badiya in the surrounding areas of Sha’er and on al-Bardeh road in the neighborhood of al-Quaryatayn and in the surrounding areas of Palmyra city and al-Bayarat region to West of Mosul in Eastern and Southeastern Homs province which resulted in the destruction of targets and inflicted heavy losses and casualties on the terrorists.

Meantime, a battlefield source announced that over 10,000 Syrian soldiers and National Defense Forces as well as Desert Falcons (Syrian army’s special forces) are participating in the ongoing military operations.

“The main purpose of the operation is to take control of the oil and gas wells in Jazel, al-Shaer and Mehr regions and eventually seize control of ancient Palmyra,” the source said.

The source went on to say that the Syrian army troops have already advanced three kilometers in the depth of the region North and East of T4 airbase.

On Saturday, the Syrian Army troops, backed up by the Russian and Syrian fighter jets, started a fresh round of anti-ISIL operation to the West of Palmyra, capturing more lands in the region.

The Army soldiers engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL near T4 airbase and al-Bardeh region, killing a large number of terrorists and driving the rest of them out of more positions in Eastern Homs.

The Syrian and Russian warplanes carried out tens of combat sorties over ISIL’s gatherings and movements near Palmyra and energy fields near the city and al-Bardeh.

Meantime, a military source said that the ISIL is after capturing T4 airbase and then the town of al-Quaryatayn, but the Syrian and Russian warplanes have foiled plans of terrorists in preemptive strikes.

According to another military source, the first phase of the army’s special operation in Eastern Homs is aimed at capturing the Jazal mountain and Al-Maher gas fields to liberate these sites from ISIL’s control.

In relevant developments in the province on Friday, the army’s artillery units shelled ISIL’s bases in Eastern Homs, killing at least four militants, including the terrorist group’s security commander.

At least four ISIL militants were killed and over a dozen more were wounded under the heavy fire of the Syria army’s artillery units in Eastern Homs.

Abu Hafs al-Mashrifi, the ISIL chief of security in Homs, who used to lead the terrorist group’s security operations in Homs province, was killed along with other terrorists under the Syrian army fire in the village of Huweises East of Homs.

A source close to the ISIL also confirmed al-Mashrifi’s death. The attack also destroyed two ISIL vehicles and a tactical unit.