On Sunday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continued its advance in the eastern Homs countryside pushing towards the strategic town of Sukhna.
The SAA captured several strategic points and advanced 3 km northeast of the T3 station from Qarat Maska direction towards the Dabayat oil field east of Palmyra. The SAA also advanced 1.5 km east of the Al-Heel gas station.
During its advance, SAA managed to kill and wound a number of ISIS fighters, according to the Hezbollah media wing in Syria.
From its side, ISIS claimed that 9 Syrian soldiers were killed in two attacks on SAA positions in the Al-Sabkhawi Well area in the southeastern Raqqa countryside and in the Abu Allaj area in the southern Raqqa countryside.
During the attack on Al-Sabkhawi Well, ISIS fighters managed to seize some weapons, including two Konkurs missiles.
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ISIS allegedly killed 10 Syrian soldiers and captured 3 others in the village of Dakila in the eastern Hama countryside. The group allegedly destroyed a SAA tank at the Tafah mountain in the eastern Homs countryside.
The ISIS-linked News Agency Amaq published a video that shows the targeting of SAA positions east of the Arak field by ISIS artillery.
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ISIS reported that Ma’adan town in the northwestern Deir Ezzour countryside and the village of Zour al-Shammar in the southeastern Raqqa countryside were hiit with several airstrikes of the Russian and Syrian air force warplanes. This confirms that SAA has already started its attack on these strategic advance on the western bank of the Euphrates River.
SAA should release at least some pix and video. Otherwise we are left with just ISUS propaganda pix like these :( Tigers and SAA made a hell of move To Sabkhawi in south Raqqa area! GO TIGERS ! (maybe real quiet like a stalking cat :D) https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2d710672b7557a9673c3aaeaf356dd439480e47eb5d0a2fb8ce56d9e0f2c457d.jpg
or like how velociraptors did in jurassic park, you think there is just one attacking you from the front, but there are 2 more on the left and right :DDDD
as long as there was a good amount of advance and the daesh scumbags that killed those SAA were themselves obliterated, i have no qualms with this :))))
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:00 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), led by the 5th Assault Corps, and other pro-government combat outfits have burst open the last feasible defensive line that ISIS has before the strategic town of al-Sukhnah.
It is great that that SAA has taken the heights south of Sukhmah, it has been a long difficult struggle against ISUS defenders. But it is good to tack AMN reports with a grain of salt.
Whatever the news, the situation on the ground for ISIS is not very good, north of Sukhna the Russian Air Force is bombing any ISIS movement to reinforce Sukhna, south the SAA and allies can approach the city and bypass it cutting off the defenders in the city. I do not see why SAA and allies should waste energy and take casualties in the city, when they can cut off the communications and supply lines and move on. Hitler should have considered that before he became fixated with Stalingrad.
I agree. SAA should not try to clear the ISUS river terrain right now, but go for clearing Mount Bishri in next phase of ops (the high ground). Then options are open towards Deir Ezzor and flanking Sukhnah from the NE (a very large pocket)
Where is Mt Bishiri on the map? Not sure where this is but next moves must be considered carefully and force numbers and balances taken into account. Considering the secrecy around Tiger moves in the Euphrates valley I suspect they will push for Deir Ezzor and take Isis in the rear, the Euphrates valley/Deir Ezzor has always been the main prize and if this can be taken swiftly and cheaply then excellent, Sukhna will have to be taken eventually and if it can be bypassed or strategically anulled safely by taking the valley behind then I say go for it.
if you mean the large mountain chain immediately West of Sukhna I most definately agree.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1703dda80f33074fa0a9ea3c5d2b8610fcf4a216cd73b584636b5b86bf309909.png
Yes. I was talking about the mountain chain west of Sukha, this would be a good move to outflank the city from the north..
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/79fba5474f2a758bf59dc814a45da8437e61e5df38ea31bf233eab97f1eec362.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/561a78e3e24f7f548443efd5a224a7d5d046ee015ad149cde2f2152344930764.jpg
Yes indeed ive been looking at that one running parrallel to the road for ages, would make a great arty base on the top of its Eastern end, yes I also think they should take this before they even consider taking Sukhna
The risk is the SAA over extending themselves
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e3165df9bd056a9cfa9969f6a667f8a86b89a6f6e278d59d155b501ed833f0db.jpg