According to pro-government sources, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continued its advance alongthe Ithriyah-Resafa road. Now, the SAA led by the Tiger Forces has to liberate about 20 km of the road.
“Hama-Raqqa highway will soon be opened”
Syrian Army Tiger Forces advancing against Daesh (ISIS) terrorists on the Ithriya-Raqqa road today pic.twitter.com/uf0s7hxLZ1
— M Green (@MmaGreen) 23 June 2017
According to pro-government sources, the SAA have advanced on Bir Abu Alaj south of Khirbat Zidan at the Ithriyah-Resafa road.
ISIS claimed that its fighters managed to repel a SAA attack on their positions in Drehem east of Khanaser town. During the clashes, ISIS allegedly managed to kill two Syrian soldiers and capture their arms.
ISIS fighters also managed to destroy a SAA tank at Bir Najib in the southern Tabqah countryside with an ATGM.
The SAA aims to open a direct supply route from Ithriyah to Resafa in order to support its operation in the southern Raqqa countryside, as well as expand control over the rest of the eastern Aleppo countryside.
With the end of the ISIS presence in the eastern Hama countryside and the eastern Aleppo countryside, the SAA will be able to focus on its operation towards Al-Sukhna and to lift the ISIS siege from Deir Ezzor.
