Click to see the full-size map
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies liberated 57,200km2 of the total size of the Syrian desert that equals 90,000km2, the Hezbollah media wing in Syria reported on October 25.
The report said that only 10% of the desert is still under the ISIS control. Meanwhile, the US-led coalition and the US-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) are in control of 5,000km2 of desert including al-Tanaf area near the Syrian-Iraqi border.
Click to see the full-size map
During their operations, the SAA and its allies recaptured the eastern Aleppo countryside, the southern Raqqa countryside, the eastern Hama countryside, the northern al-Suwayda countryside and most of the eastern Homs countryside.
Thanks to this advance the SAA and its allies were able to undermine the US strategy in Syria. According to the report, the US had plans to divide Syria into three countries using ISIS.
Click to see the full-size map
The report also revealed that all the supply lines to the FSA-held areas around the Syrian capital, Damascus, were cut off thanks to the SAA operation in the northern al-Suwayda countryside. The operation effectively cut off the FSA groups in the Eastern Ghouta region from the US-led Military Operation Center (MOC), in Jordan according to the report.
The media outlet added that ISIS was unable to stop the SAA advance. The SAA conducted rapid attacks, and besieged any village or area ISIS wanted to defend. This tactic allowed the SAA and its allies to capture several villages and hundreds of kilometers in every push they made.
According to the report, the SAA will continue its advance towards the last ISIS stronghold of al-Bukamal from the direction of Mayadin city in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside and from the direction of the T-2 station in the eastern Homs countryside.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we later learn the desert under tanf has oil.
I have the feeling that the only thing that really is correct, is the number of kms2 liberated. Seems they count better then the Russians.