On Saturday, US-backed forces continued exploiting clashes between Syrian government forces and ISIS to capture important oil and gas infrastructure located on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor province.
According to local sources, the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured the strategic Jirah oil field located west of al-Khajjah village. If the SDF is able to develop momentum and to seize Khajjah, they will be in a perfect position to take control a road heading to the Iraqi border along the bank of the Euphrates. Thus, US-backed fighters will cut off the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies deployed on the eastern bank from the oil fields located east of Deir Ezzor city.
This will also open a route for an advance on the ISIS-held town of al-Busayrah. Considering a lack of the ISIS resistance to the SDF, this terrorist stronghold could also fall into the SDF hands easily.
Meanwhile, ISIS continued its fierce attacks against the SAA along the strategic Palmyra-Deir Ezzor highway. Earlier this week, the terrorist group launched a large-scale operation aiming to slow down or even to reverse the SAA gains in central Syria. Fierce fighting is ongoing between the SAA and ISIS in multiple points.
