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On August 18, more than 20 ISIS fighters attacked positions of the US-led coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Omar oil fields in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside, according to the Syrian observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
In details, ISIS fighters launched the attack from their positions in the town of Diban south of the Omar oil fields. The terrorists successfully penetrated the SDF defense around the oil fields and attacked a housing complex, which hosts several commanders of the US-led coalition and the SDF, according to the UK-based monitoring group.
The SDF managed to repel the attack only after the intervention of US-led coalition warplanes, which targeted ISIS fighters. The SOHR said that 7 ISIS fighters were killed during the clashes and added that the SDF is currently conducting a security operation inside and around the Omar oil fields to find the remaining terrorists.
Earlier this week, ISIS launched a similar attack on the al-Taim oil field in southern Deir Ezzor. However, the SAA and its allies repelled the attack within few hours.
These attacks indicate that the terrorist group is attempting to recapture oil sources in order to re-establish its illegal oil trade between Syria and Iraq.
