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On Sunday, local sources told South Front that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Tiger Forces captured al-Quriyah town south of Mayadin city in the southeastern Deir Ezzor countryside. Earlier pro-government sources reported that the SAA captured Mahkan village north of al-Quriyah, and launched its attack on al-Quriyah.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) confirmed that the SAA recaptured Khsham town on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside. SANA added that several ISIS fighters were killed during the SAA advance.
Syrian opposition sources also reported that the SAA shelled al-Tayyana town on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river east of al-Quriyah. The SAA was likely planning to capture the town in order to advance towards the strategic Omar oil fields. However, this plan failed.
Syrian pro-government activists expected earlier that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will capture the Omar oil fields after the SAA and the Tiger Forces focused their efforts on Khsham and al-Quriyah towsn, away from the oil fields.
Previously, the SAA redeployed its main strike units away from the Jafra oil fields in the northern Deir Ezzor countryside, and the SDF captured the oil fields.
The SAA strategy moves that the oil fields were not the main goal of the SAA or that the Syrian-Russian-Iranian alliance and the US have reached some kind of deal behind the scene despite the fact that it has never been announced officially.
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Isis first, ypg second ?
Turkey can assist with ypg cleanup. So goes the myth of the US and Kurds fighting terrorists. It was always amazing how Isis moved long lines of convoys through the desert under the watchful eyes of the so-called ‘coalition’ without obstruction; that is, until Russia began targeting them anyway. After that, you had the terrorist coalition ‘accidentally’ (on purpose) striking the Syrian army along with another terrorist supporting state, Israel, jumping in with false excuses from time to time. Funny how those strikes always seemed to be coordinated with the terrorists assaults on the only people truly fighting terrorism, the Syrian army and it’s allies. Turkey will never allow a terrorist entity on it’s borders. This is going to be a major headache for all of the terrorist’s supporters in the ‘coalition’.
Very well said!
Does anyone else see 101 votes and 5.7 star rating on this page?
Well spotted.
For months there have been stories of a deal between Russia and US.
Had SAA not wasted so many resources east of the river, they would have been at Al Bukanal by now and could have crossed the river there. Now that window has been closed.
Iraqi forces have moved to Hawa area yesterday in a drive to the Syrian border suggesting coordinated movements to the ISIS occupied border area. Indeed a deal has been made, not with the US but between the Kurds, Syria,Turkey and Russia.
The reason for the Russian visit to both Turkish & Kurdish forces in north Aleppo was unannounced at the time, now we know. The Omar oil fields will not be contested by SDF and remain for Syrian repossession as we saw with the turn over of the Jobar fields to SAA.
It appears that those Russian military helicopters paying a visit to both Turkish and Kurdish forces in northern Syria last Friday (20th) making a series of stop-offs throughout Aleppo province was the catalyst.
According to sources, at least two Russian military helicopters – one Mi-8 transport helicopter and a Ka-50 scout-attack helicopter – conducted today’s mysterious mission. Reports say that the helicopters first stopped off at a Turkish military base in Al-Bab and then flew on to land at a Kurdish base near Tel Riffat.
This a for me new interpretation of to me unrelated facts or even non facts.
Interesting.
It might even be true.
I misspelled Rawa and Jobar should read Jafra oil fields in my post hope that clears some of your confusion and your “unrelated facts or even non facts” statement some, here are some links to my comment.
18.10.2017-Iraqi pro-government military have not just been going north this week, they’ve also been heading west – toward a final showdown with Islamic State fighters who fled Raqqa, among others. http://www.niqash.org/en/articles/security/5757/
19.10.2017- The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) may hand over the Tabiyah oil field and its nearby facilities to pro-government forces. According to reports refering pro-Damascus journalists operating on the ground, units of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies have already entered the oil field area.
This development may indicate the first step in the reconciliation between the SAA and the SDF in the province of Deir Ezzor. https://southfront.org/sdf-to-hand-over-tabiyah-oil-field-east-of-deir-ezzor-to-government-forces-reports/
The reason for the Russian visit to both Turkish & Kurdish forces in north Aleppo was unannounced at the time, now we know. The Omar oil fields will not be contested by SDF and remain for Syrian repossession as we saw with the turn over of the Jobar fields to SAA.
20/10/2017-It appears that those Russian military helicopters paying a visit to both Turkish and Kurdish forces in northern Syria last Friday (20th) making a series of stop-offs throughout Aleppo province was the catalyst. https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-russian-helicopters-visit-turkish-kurdish-military-bases-north-aleppo/
Are you surprised? None of us wants to be nuclear ash. Strategy in wartime covers more than just one part of the battlefield and if I was to compare the map of a year ago to today’s I would say “job well done”. There are no closed windows in this war – nobody would have thought a few weeks ago that the Iraqi army would chase the Kurdish presence out of Kirkuk would they?
I am not very much surprised.
Given the thoughtless reactions of many commenters here, it sometimes feels good to recap some general thoughts.
Everyday another part of the map grows red – I love it. Good to see the Iraqi army doing well also. This alliance of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah is truly a thing of wonder – I never thought I would see such unity again. Especially between Iraq and Iran after the disaster of US-backed Saddam’s war in the ’80s.