Syria

Syrian Army on Verge of Removing ISIL’s Siege on Deir Ezzur

 

 The Syrian Army troops, backed up the Russian Air Force, continued to advance against ISIL in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur in several flanks despite massive redeployment of ISIL’s fighters and military hardware from other parts of Iraq and Syria to Deir Ezzur, military sources confirmed on Monday.

The sources said that the army soldiers drove ISIL out of the towns of Kobajeb and al-Shoula and several strategic hills, pushing towards Brigade 137 base in the Western outskirt of Deir Ezzur city.

They added that the army men captured al-Kharateh energy field North of Tar Tarfawi region in the Western countryside of Deir Ezzur city, deploying less than 20km away from Tal (hill) al-Sonouf near the city airbase.

A large number of ISIL terrorists have left behind their arms and equipment and have fled the battlefield amid rapid advances of the army.

The sources went on to say that the army forces have reached areas 10km away from Brigade 137 base, adding that the army is on the threshold of lifting ISIL’s siege on Deir Ezzur after over three years.

In the meantime, Governor General of Deir Ezzur Mohammed Ibrahim Samra told Reuters that heroes of the army will arrive at Deir Ezzur in 24-48 hours at the most, adding that the Syrian Army was only 18-20 kilometers (11-12 miles) away from the city.

Civilians have already begun celebrating in the streets of Deir Ezzur, as news about the lifting of the siege was prematurely spread on social media.

The Russian Defense Ministry has previously stated that breaking the blockade of Deir Ezzur will mark the defeat of the last capable grouping of ISIL terrorists in Syria.

 “ISIL militants are still attempting to stop the advancement of the Syrian troops by relocating to the Deir Ezzur region armor, pick-up trucks with high-caliber machine guns mounted on them, weapons and ammunition. They are creating fortifications with positions for artillery and mortars,” the Russian Defense Ministry reported Saturday.

Geopolitical analysts believe that lifting the Deir Ezzur blockade will provide Syrian armed forces and their allies with a really stable foothold in this part of Eastern Syria.

The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Steffan de Mistura, also expects all major ISIL’s positions in Syria to fall by the end of October.

Reports said on Sunday that the army men seized control over several heights near Mount al-Bashari, the villages of Rajm al-Hajaneh and Mount Safiyeh, deploying forces only 30km to Deir Ezzur city.

The army men and popular fighters, backed by the Russian Air Force, also liberated several square kilometers of the desert terrain over a short period in both Homs and Deir Ezzur provinces.

The army units managed to advance against ISIL from Wadi al-Zoweihak region in Eastern Homs to the village of Haribsheh near the border with Deir Ezzur, seizing control over a 12km-long chunk of the al-Sukhnah-Deir Ezzur highway.

As a result of this advance, the Syrian government forces have positioned themselves within 16 km of al-Shoula, which is the last major town located directly West of the Deir Ezzur province’s capital.

A military source said, meantime, that if the army men capture al-Shoula they will be able to win control over al-Sukhnah-Deir Ezzur highway for the first time in recent years.

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