The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) continue struggling to clear the Homs-Deir Ezozr desert as well as the northwestern part of al-Suwayda province from ISIS cells operating there.
Just recently, local NDF members spotted an ISIS unit and opened fire on it in the northern part of al-Suwayda. However, they were not able to eliminate it. This ISIS unit was conducting reconnaissance in the area, most likely collecting data for future ISIS attacks on NDF and SAA positions in the province.
A previously announced security operation in the area in the al-Bukamal-T2 pumping station-Mayadin triangle also achieved little results. SAA and NDF units carried out a series of raids, but found no notable ISIS infrastructure. At the same time, they have no resources to establish a complex network of check points in this desert area. So, ISIS cells always can return.
According to local sources, there are currently from 400 to 800 ISIS members in the desert areas in central Syria. These terrorists are mostly hiding in the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert and on the edge of the US-controlled area of al-Tanf. This group poses a significant threat to security of government-held areas in the provinces of Homs, Deir Ezzor and al-Suwayda. However, it remains unclear how it can be eliminated while any SAA activity in the al-Tanf zone faces a military responce from the US-led coalition.
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Another key issue is the al-Rukban refugee camp, which is located near the US garrison of al-Tanf. The camp is not only place of an acute humanitarian crisis, but also a hotbed for various criminal gans and terrorists hiding in the area. The location of the camp allows them to use it as a foothold for operations in the border area. Local sources say that at least a part of “moderate rebels” deployed near it are in fact former or current members of ISIS.
“…However, it remains unclear how it can be eliminated while any SAA activity in the al-Tanf zone faces a military responce from the US-led coalition…”
Any SAA activity ON THE GROUND. It’s 2019, FFS – you use long-endurance drones with high resolution sensors for head-chopper surveilance today, not four guys sent out in HiLuxs with a pair of binoculars. Armed drones to take head-choppers out unless they’re 10 miles inside the at Tanf zone. US couldn’t shoot a Syrian drone on an anti-ISIS mission down without a lot of embarassing and unbelievable excuses.
Chinese Wing Loong about a million USD each. CH-3 or CH-4 about four million. Don’t worry – China will loan Syria all the money it needs. Syria is just too big and has too many remote borders to properly secure without drones.
Usa directly attacked more than once the syrian army during “anti-isis operations”, and the terrain in the desert is not flat
I remember those. The SAA had new militias headed east to drive ISIS out of the phosphate mines SE of Palmyra. For some reason on two occasions, small detachments broke off to head south towards al-Tanf. The US called Russia asking them to check with Assad to see if those guys made a wrong turn. Russia called back, saying the SAA couldn’t make contact with those detachments so didn’t know what they were up to. The US sent a few jets over that first strafed the ground next to the vehicles which made their occupants flee. Then the jets returned and destroyed 3-4 vehicles but some intact so the militiamen didn’t have to walk back to their units. Assad never said anything about those incidents so was assumed that the militias failed to follow SAA orders.
USA in al-tanf is there to stay for much time to come. They are there to prevent a land bridge between Tehran and Beirut, and also counter Iranian militias. The Syrian Army/Iranian militias have tried at least 5-10 times to advance against the Tanf Garrison in 2017 and 2018, all times they were immediately eliminated by F-15s and B-1 lancers scrambled from Jordan and Qatar within minutes
Go back to USA of Homosexuals hands off Syria sovereign land.No election until old outdate Trump dies.