ISIS units have been reportedly retreating from the areas west of Palmyra after they had suffered major casualties as result of air and artillery strikes by government forces, according to media reports.
ISIS militants are allegedly withdrawing from the areas near the government-held Tyas Airbase which they had failed to seize from the Syrian army and its allies. Over 250 ISIS members have been killed and about 40 units of military equipment destroyed by government forces during clashes for the Tyas Airbase.
If reports about the withdrawal of ISIS units from the area are confirmed, the Syrian army and its allies will be able to conduct a series of military operations north and south of the Tyas Airbase to build a large buffer zone around this crucial defense site.
”the Syrian army and its allies will be able to conduct a series of military operations north and south of the Tyas Airbase to build a large buffer zone around this crucial defense site.”
Ummm, yeah …. and take palmyra and shaer back!!! Woooo, kick their asses! Come on SAA, its not that hard. Arent the tigers there? Lets go suheil!
Technically it shouldn’t be hard if this is the case. The point remains that unless they push IS back significantly on Palmyra’s flanks the city will remain vulnerable from encirclement again. In which case the city could fall again when the SAA is concentrating forces elsewhere again.
yupp, they have to secure all the gas fields to the north, the southern flank, east up to arak and if possible even sukhnah, and also when it comes to the north – if possible clean up the small east hama pocket of abu hanaya – soha – uqayribat.
But isis are getting weaker and weaker anyway. In a matter of months all their eastern syria pocket will crumble.
ISIS is pulling back from Tiyas and going to Tabqa. If tabqa falls then raqqa will be under siege by kurds.
They are also needed in Bab. If Bab falls then raqqa will be under siege by turks.
The SAA is preparing an idlib offensive against Nusra west of Aleppo. They may not bother to recapture Palmyra until after that offensive ends.
The occupation of valuable gas and oil fields around Dier Ezzor and Palmyra by ISIS hurts syria financially. But idlib province and the Rojava colony is most of syria’s farmland. Syria really has a lot to recover.
It takes money to run an army , and the SAA has earned a pay raise , a big one , get the oil fields back . Stop giving ISIS money .
Good that Kurd pressure is drawing ISUS forces up north. SAA will make better progress towards Palmyra, but must hold a better north flank this time. They should clear out Hama Uqayribat area. Idib province should be a lower priority (more of a long term issue). SAA should straighten out their lines first, no more exsposed flank to ISUS counter attack.
I read somewhere that ISIS have began retreating from Palmyra city.The units are going to Raqqa city.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-abandons-offensive-west-palmyra-mass-retreat-towards-raqqa/