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After liberating the area of al-Safa, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies are preparing to launch a military operation against the remaining ISIS fighters who withdrew to the Damascus desert, the Syrian al-Masdar blog reported on November 21.
According to the pro-government blog, the SAA has already redeployed its forces from al-Safa to advanced positions around the Damascus desert. The operation is expected to begin in the upcoming few days.
The SAA operation against ISIS in al-Safa lasted for more than two months due to the rough terrain of the volcanic area. The Damascus desert is less harsh than al-Safa. However, the upcoming SAA operation there may also last for several months because the desert is closer to the terrorist group supply routes in central Syria.
The number of ISIS fighters who have fled from al-Safa to the Damascus desert is likely over 500. The battle in al-Safa showed that these fighters are not only highly-experienced, but well-armed and motivated too.
