Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Syrian Army Inches Closer to ISIL-Held Deir Ezzur

Rasa - The Syrian Army troops continued their anti-terrorism operation in Southern Raqqa and Western Deir Ezzur and managed to impose control over 15 more villages and oil wells and fields.

News ID: 431023

Date: 16 July 2017 - 20:11

RNA - The army men engaged in tough battle with ISIL in Southern Raqqa and Western Deir Ezzur and seized control of the oilfields of al-Wahab, al-Fahad, Dabisan, al-Kabir and the oil wells of al-Qasir, Abu al-Qatat and Abu Qatash and the villages of Moshrefeh Anbah, Falah Rajab, Khirbet Mohanad, Sawh Albu Khamis, Mansoureh Shweihan, Halimeh and Smeihan.

The source underscored that the army was deployed at a distance less than 15km away from Deir Ezzur province after the recent advances.

The Syrian army also continued its advances in other key provinces across Syria.

Deir Ezzur

A military source reported that the army men killed a large number of ISIL terrorists, including two Saudi and Tunisian commanders in the attacks on terrorists' positions in Southern Raqqa and Western Deir Ezzur.

The sources further added that 29 bomb-laden vehicles, five tanks, five command centers and two training bases and two arms and munitions depots were destroyed in the attacks.

Local sources said that the ISIL started arresting those civilians who try to leave terrorist-held towns in Southeastern Deir Ezzur as the Syrian Army was making rapid advances in Eastern Homs and Southern Raqqa towards Deir Ezzur.

The sources said that the ISIL arrested four civilians and four vans in the towns of Al-Mayadeen and Albu Kamal on charges of fleeing the militant-held towns and regions.

They added that the ISIL set up night patrols along the roads in the deserts of Albu Kamal and Al-Mayadeen that were taken by civilians to leave the towns for other regions.

The ISIL also announced that the civilians who try to leave the regions under its control would be harshly punished, the sources said, adding that however people left several neighborhoods in some towns and villages and the abandoned neighborhoods were filled by ISIL militants.

Damascus

The Syrian army troops continued their anti-terrorism operation in the depth of Badiyeh (desert) and managed to impose control over several more regions.

The army forces deployed in Mount al-Jarin in Southeastern Damascus stormed terrorists' positions and managed to advance 4km against the militants and reached the Um Ezn hill.

The army men took control over several positions and villages, including Rajm al-Aranb, Ba'ar Mahroutheh South of Mount Sis and Arz Jalayqam East of the same mountain and Abu Khashbeh dam West of the Sis.

The terrorists left behind a number of dead or injured members and retreated from the battlefield.

A military source, meantime, said that the army men were just 12km away from their comrades that were advancing against terrorists Southeast of al-Seen military airport after the recent advances in Badiyeh.

Reports said that the army forces discovered a car tunnel in the Eastern parts of Damascus constructed by the al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) terrorist group.

The tunnel which was built between Ein Terma and Jobar regions in Eastern Damascus was used by the al-Nusra terrorists for carrying weapons by vehicles.

In another development on Saturday, the Syrian soldiers regained control of one of the most important checkpoints in Ein Terma region after clashes with the terrorists and killing a large number of them.

Aleppo

The army men clashed fiercely with terrorists that attacked the positions of the pro-government forces in Jam'iyat al-Zahra from their positions in al-Lairamoun halls, services building and al-Samoun industrial furnace, and fended off the militants' offensive.

A large number of terrorists were killed and large volumes of their military hardware were destroyed in the battle.

The terrorist groups left behind their dead members and fled the battlefield.

In the meantime, the militant groups, affiliated to the Turkish Army, lost several fighters and their military hardware sustained major damage in heavy fighting with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in al-Shahba and Afrin regions in Northern Aleppo.

The Ankara-backed militants launched artillery attacks on the villages of Mar'anaz and al-Bilouniyeh in Shara region from their positions East of the town of Azaz.

The YPG forces opened retaliatory fire at the positions of the Turkey-back militants that caused heavy fighting between them.

According to dispatches, three Ankara-backed militants were killed and four others were injured in the clashes.

Field sources said that artillery units of the Turkish Army and its affiliated militants shelled the villages and towns of Tal Rifat, Sheikh Issa, Qarnateh, Haliseh, Hiseh, Qol Sarouj, Tal Jihan, Jal Madhiq, Tal al-Anab, al-Nayereh and Ein Daqneh in al-Shahba.

The sources added that the predominately Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces opened heavy artillery and mortar fire at the Ankara-backed militants' defense lines in the village of Tawis and the town of Mare'a in response to their artillery attacks, inflicting major losses on the Turkey-backed militants.

Hama

The army troops engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in Eastern Hama and took control of Koujan hills and farms South of the town of al-Sa'an.

The army men also drove ISIL out of the villages of al-Qatisheh and Zanoubeh East of the town of al-Saboureh.

The army units detonated an ammunition depot of ISIL in the village of Um Tweineh, killing 20 terrorists.

In the meantime, the country's fighter jets bombed ISIL's movements in the regions of Abu Hanaya and Salba in Eastern Homs, destroying several cannons and a large volume of military hardware and killing a number of terrorists.

A military source confirmed on Saturday that the Army's artillery units were using the long-range model of a new artillery system with an effective range 44km for targeting ISIL's defense lines in Eastern Hama,

The source said that the army had been using the M-46 long-rang moveable artillery that was stronger than the other models used by the Syrian army for targeting ISIL's positions in Eastern Hama.

The 130mm caliber M-46 cannons can hit the targets from a 44km distance.

Raqqa

The army's elite forces, backed up by the country's Air Force, drove ISIL out of the regions of Ba'ar al-Ataw, Ba'ar al-Zanati and Ba'ar al-Houran in Southwestern Raqqa and engaged in fierce clashes with terrorists South of the town of al-Rasafeh.

The elite forces pushed the militants back from Haqal Kadi South of Ba'ar al-Zanati and Kirbat al-Haloul East of Haqal al-Kadir.

Meantime, the army aircraft pounded ISIL's positions in al-Shajiri and its surrounding areas, South of Khirbet al-Haloul, al-Zamleh and its Southern part in Western and Southwestern Raqqa, destroying several military vehicles.

Some of the media sources said that after the recent advances, the army soldiers entered Homs via the Raqqa border, adding that if the pro-government forces seize 70km of Raqqa's borders with Homs towards the South upto al-Heil energy field, they will be able to lay siege on ISIL terrorists in a region as large as 11,000sq/km of area in the provinces of Homs, Hama and Raqqa.

Local sources in Northeastern Syrian reported that a large number of US military vehicles and troops had been observed in the different neighborhoods of the Eastern part of Raqqa.

The sources said that a number of the US military vehicles have been seen in al-Mashlab neighborhood that had been recently captured by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

In the meantime, the US military helicopters increased flights over Raqqa in recent days.

Meantime, footage released recently revealed that the US is operating an airbase in the Eastern parts of Aleppo near the provincial border with Raqqa.

According to AMN, the footage showed a large US plane taking off and plenty of Humvees protecting the site.

Also, an American flag was hoisted above the airfield which was located in the territory controlled by the SDF.

Meanwhile, Colonel Ryan Dillon, the US-led Coalition Spokesman, confirmed dozens of US military advisors were deployed inside Raqqa city with US marines providing artillery support against the ISIL from the surrounding areas.

He said the troops, many of them special operations forces, are working in an “advise, assist and accompany” role to support Kurdish fighters in battle against ISIL.

"They are much more exposed to enemy contact than those in Iraq,” Dillon added.

He stressed that the number of US forces in Raqqa was "not hundreds" and that they had been working closely with SDF fighters since the operations to encircle Raqqa began.

The Pentagon is secretive about exactly how big its footprint is in Syria, but has previously declared that some 500 US special forces are there to train and assist the SDF.

Kurds heavily assisted by US soldiers and bombers – have captured some 35% of Raqqa city despite facing fierce resistance from the ISIL militants.

A Kurdish commander announced early July that the US Army established seven military bases in regions controlled by the Kurds in Eastern Syria.

Siban Hamou was quoted as saying by al-Sharq al-Awsat that the US army established six military airports and a base on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River, adding that a modern large airport in Kobani (Ein al-Arab) was the most important one of them.

"The US has set up two airports in Hasaka, one airport in Qamishli, two airports in al-Malekiyeh (Dirik), and one more airport in Tal Abyadh at border with Turkey in addition to a military squad center in the town of Manbij in Northeastern Aleppo," Hamou said.

Hamou went on to say that 1,300 forces of the US-led coalition were deployed in the airports and center.

Meantime, other reports declared that the US-led forces have several times transferred the ISIL leaders from Iraq and Syria to other regions by heliborne operations.

Idlib

Tens of terrorists were killed or wounded in a fresh round of clashes between Jeish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at  in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib.

Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at fighters stormed Jeish al-Islam's positions in Eastern Ghouta from several directions in al-Ash'ari farms.

In the meantime, Tahrir al-Sham carried out a large-scale attack on Ahrar al-Sham's defense lines in the village of Kafr Arouq North of Idlib city.

Local sources reported that tens of militants were killed or wounded in the infighting.

In the meantime, tensions and infighting erupted between Tahrir al-Sham and Soqour al-Sham after the death of two members of Tahrir al-Sham in a terror attack in the town of Sarjeh in Jabal (Mount) al-Zaviyeh in Idlib.

Homs

The Russian and Syrian fighter jets carried out several combat flights over ISIL's movements and positions near Deir Ezzur city and in Eastern Homs, killing tens of terrorists.

The Syrian warplanes bombed ISIL's positions on al-Kanamat bridges and in the outskirts of Deir Ezzur city, while the Russian and Syrian fighter jets carried out repeated attacks on ISIL's movements in Huweja Sakar region in Southeastern Deir Ezzur and two neighborhoods of al-Kanamat and al-Sina'ah.

Field sources, meantime, said that the air raids also hit ISIL's movements in the village of Humeimeh in Eastern Homs near the border with Deir Ezzur province.

The sources said that tens of ISIL terrorists were killed or wounded and their military vehicles were destroyed in the air attacks.

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