Syrian Army Deploys Russian-Backed Elite Force Along Key Road In Central Region

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On November 1, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) deployed a large force from the elite 25^th Special Mission Forces Division, commonly known as the Tiger Forces, along a key road that links Hama with Raqqa in central Syria.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the force established 20 positions along the road that starts in the town of al-San in the eastern Hama countryside, passes through the nearby key town of Ithriyah and ends up in the town of al-Tabqah in the southern countryside of Raqqa.

The London-based monitoring group said that the new positions were inspected by a delegation of senior Syrian and Russian officers.

Earlier this year, the 25^th Special Mission Forces Division, which is known to be backed by Russia, led several successful operations against ISIS cells in central Syria.

ISIS insurgency in the region is still going strong, especially in the southern countryside of Raqqa. Late on August 30, the group’s cells attacked a base of the SAA in the vicinity of Tabqah Air Base in the southern Raqqa countryside. A soldier was reportedly killed in the hit-and-run attack.

The deployment of the 25^th Special Mission Forces Division along the al-San-Ithriyah-Tabqah road may be a part of ongoing preparation for a new Russian-backed operation against ISIS cells in the central region. Russian warplanes have already targeted the region. On August 30, several airstrikes hit hideouts of the terrorist group between the eastern Homs countryside and the eastern countryside of Hama.

The main target of any new operation will likely be the southern Raqqa countryside, where ISIS cells have been the most active this year.

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