RNA - "Declaration of Albu Kamal's liberation and then rapid withdrawal (of the Syrian army forces) from the same town created a new and major challenge for the Americans; therefore, they attempted to weaken the Syrian army and its allies in the battle in the city," al-Mayadeen reported on Tuesday after the Syrian army won back Albu Kamal.
It quoted a field commander in Albu Kamal as saying at the time of the capture that "when we declared liberation of Albu Kamal, we were still in the T2 Station but we were forced to declare its liberation to prevent the (US-backed) Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from entering the town".
"Today, we were near Albu Kamal from three sides; the Americans were trying to prevent air flights over the region and they were after weakening us in Albu Kamal but we were determined to fully liberate it," he added.
Al-Mayadeen said the field commander's remarks show why the operations room control was entrusted to General Soleimani, explaining that the resistance front was trying to foil the US plots to seize leadership in the region.
Earlier today, General Soleimani in a message to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday declared the end of ISIL control over Syria and Iraq.
General Soleimani in his message blamed the US for all crimes committed by the ISIL terrorist group in the regional states, and said the Iraqi and Syrian governments and armies as well as the Hashd al-Shaabi (Iraqi popular forces) and the Lebanese resistance group led by Seyed Hassan Nasrallah certainly played a decisive role in defeating the ISIL.
"Definitely, the valuable role of the nation and servant government of the Islamic Republic, specially the honorable president, parliament, the defense ministry and the military, law enforcement police and security organizations of our country in supporting the aforementioned governments and nations is appreciable," he added, stressing the important role of the wise leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei and senior Iraqi Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani in the victory over the ISIL terrorist group.
"...Having accomplished the Albu Kamal liberation operation, the ISIL's last stronghold (in Syria), pulling down the US-Zionist (ISIL) group's flag and hoisting the Syrian flag, I declare the end of" ISIL control, General Soleimani concluded.
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