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The Jaish al-Islam militant group has made a series of counter-attacks in the Eastern Ghouta region near Damascus, targeting Syrian troops near Hazrama and Tal Nasabiyah. Initially, the militants were able to retake some points in Hazrama but after a series of firefights and a deployment of government reinforcements to the area, they failed to develop the initial momentum. Now, government forces are readying to a final push on Nasabiyah.
Government troops have captured at least 12 US-made TOW anti-tank missile launchers en route to Eastern Ghouta, according to local media activists.
Last night, Syrian government forces, led by units of the Republican Guard, allegedly launched a military operation west of the Khanasser-Aleppo road, aiming to expand a buffer zone along this vital supply line to the government stronghold.
Last weekend, the Syrian army retook the strategic Harabesh Mountain in the city of Deir Ezzor, besieging ISIS units in the workers housing area and in Jiraya which allow controlling the road to the Deir Ezzor Airport. If the army seizes control over Jabal (mountain) al-Amal, it will have a fire control over the whole supply line. This could become a turning point in repelling the ongoing ISIS offensive operation inside the city.
Separately, the army repelled an ISIS attack on the Panorama Roundabout, inflicting major casualties to the terrorist group. Abu Yousef, a top member of ISIS, was reportedly killed during the clashes. The total number of ISIS casualties during the operation in Deir Ezzor is over 600 killed and wounded.
The so-called “pro-opposition media outlets” disseminated reports that Major General Issam Zahreddine, a de-facto leader of the Syrian army’s resistance to ISIS in Deir Ezzor, was killed. These reports appeared to be fake.
YPG forces, backed up by the US-led coalition air power and military advisors, conducted a raid against ISIS positions at the town of Tabqa near the strategic Tabqa dam in the province of Raqqah. The goal of the raid was to damage the terrorists’ command structure in the area. However, no confirmed reports are available to estimate the results.
Thought of this movie!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb7BK9MLTrI
That´s a great movie! just watched it!
just let go deir ezzor and deal with the terrorist remaining pockets. that way SAA can free many men
No! If the Daesh capture Deir-ez-Zor it will lead directly to the Balkanization of Syria. Some of the troops freed up after the liberation of Aleppo should join an eastward thrust from T4/Palmyra, backed up by air-cover, to relieve Deir-ez-Zor as a matter of urgency. Troops freed up after West Ghouta (and later East Ghouta) is won should follow them and, from Deir-ez-Zor, roll up the Daesh for good.
A westward thrust without securing the flanks will only lead to heavy losses to counterattacks. IS can chose when and where to attack and then isolate the advance.
Deir Ezzor is a meat grinder for the hairy headchoppers. when this attack collapses, there will most likely be and ISIS collapse right through to Palmyra, at which point the Syrian government may well be able to secure the country from Palmyra right through to Deir Ezzor, and break the siege.
They need a valid claim in the area. In the future diplomatic efforts it will be a strong card.
Also, how will the thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians there be evacuated you imbecile?
150,000 civilians , at least 50,000 are Christian , who without doubt would be killed by ISIS should their defenses fail .
I find it hard to believe so many people can fit in that area :D
Well, whether they are 60000 or 150000 doesn’t make much difference of course.
DeirezZor has been abandoned, mentally, long ago by the Assad family. To expect them to care about the civilians seems, in the light of say Aleppo, a bit unlikely.
They either have to tough it out, aided by bombing runs and airial resupply, or make a deal with the SDF, for which there is no political will at this moment in time.
A disgrace.
If Deir ez-Zor was abandoned, they wouldn’t be sending in veteran units as reinforcements. And in light of Aleppo, it’s clear government is the only faction in Syria that cares about civilians.
Very dangerous strategically, to let it go – having SAA in Dier Ezzor means that there is Syrian state presence in remote eastern sector of country with ISIS dominance – that is a big block to Pentagon/Riyadh’s Plan B for the partition of eastern Syria into Sunnistan enclave/ micro state.
If they are going to go after ISIS first, an assault Eastwards from Kuweries airbase and from Khanisar towards Tabaqa and secure the Eastern bank of the Euphrates then move along in a line with forces from Palmyra to Deir El Zor – recent geopolitical deals with Turkey may now make this possible. Waiting for Mosul to fall and the Shia militias to come from the West would be more ideal and make for a decisive blow against the Caliphate in the Western Desert – the paperwork is currently moving faster than the battles themselves making picking trends an interesting exercise.