Syria in Last 24 Hours:

ISIL's Crude Trade Hurt Badly under Syrian Army Attacks

Rasa - The Syrian Army troops' recent advances towards al-Sukhnah region, the last stronghold of ISIL in Eastern Homs, have narrowed down the terrorist group's oil exports, well-informed sources said.

News ID: 431048

Date: 17 July 2017 - 21:06

RNA - The sources said that as the army’s Tiger Forces alongside other pro-government fighters started anti-terrorism operation to take back the strategic town of al-Sukhnah in Eastern Homs, the army soldiers managed to liberate half a dozen oil fields from ISIL militants which resulted in another big loss for the Takfiri terrorist group.

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

Homs

Local sources said that the pro-government forces imposed full control over several oil and gas fields in Homs in the recent months, adding that the army was resolved to continue the advance to capture more oilfields in near future.

In the meantime, over 150 gunmen that had handed over their arms to relevant officials and endorsed peace with the Syrian Army in Northern Homs were pardoned by the government.

Damascus government granted amnesty to 153 gunmen that had previously handed over their arms to the relevant officials in Northern Homs and in several other neighborhoods of Homs city and had applied for the pardoning.

Also, the army troops, backed up by the country's Air Force, managed to push ISIL terrorists back from more positions in oil-rich regions in Eastern Homs.

The army soldiers engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in Eastern Homs and captured several more positions in Arak and al-Heil oilfields.

Meanwhile, the army aircraft and artillery units pounded ISIL's defense lines in the region heavily, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

Raqqa

The predominately Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) drove ISIL terrorists out of 35 percent of Raqqa city, field sources said on Sunday.

Kurdish-language news websites quoted Omar Holiri, one of the commanders of SDF, as saying that the Kurdish fighters imposed control over 35 percent of Raqqa city after 40 days of non-stop battle against ISIL in the city.

Hama

The Syrian Army troops engaged in tough battles with ISIL in the provinces of Hama and Homs to pave the ground for the lift of terrorists' siege on the Eastern city of Deir Ezzur.

The army men continued to hit ISIL's defense lines East of the town of al-Salamiyah and managed to advance in the depth of Badiyeh (desert), inching closer to the last stronghold of ISIL in Eastern Hama.

Meantime, a military source said that the army has made fresh gains along the road that connects the town of Ithriya in Northeastern Hama to the town of al-Rasafeh in Southwestern Raqqa to approach a region between Raqqa and Homs.

The source went on to say that the army operation would restore security to Aleppo-Ithriya road and then the pro-government forces would move towards Aqayrabat region and then to Deir Ezzur.

The source added that the army men were battling ISIL in Salbeh region to access Aqayrabat from there.

The source pointed out that the Syrian forces approached the town of al-Sukhnah, as the last stronghold of ISIL in Eastern Homs, from the two directions of Southern Raqqa and Eastern Homs and managed to drive ISIL out of tens of key positions.

The source added that the army's advances in the depth of Badiyeh towards Deir Ezzur from five flanks caused ISIL to embark on pulling back its forces from the battlefield in Syria's Badiyeh.

Deir Ezzur

The Russian and Syrian fighter jets carried out a fresh round of joint combat flights over ISIL's positions and movements in Syria's Badiyeh (desert), inflicting major losses on the terrorist group's supply lines.

The warplanes launched repeated bombing strikes on ISIL's concentration centers in Tamin Brigade base, Tal (hill) Aloush and al-Maqaber (cemetery) region in the Southern outskirts of Deir Ezzur city.

The fighter jets targeted ISIL's movements in the villages and regions of al-Hassan, al-Janineh, Ayyash, al-Baqaliyeh, old airport, Fishery passageway, in the hills near the water resources, Panorama base and the two neighborhoods of al-Roshdiyeh and al-Kanamat.

Meantime, the Syrian Air Force pounded ISIL's movements East of the town of Ithriya in Eastern Hama, in Humeimeh region East of al-Kadir in Eastern Homs, West of al-Fahdi power plant, in al-Ramaylan oilfield, Rajoum hill and South of al-Zamleh in Southern Raqqa.

Tens of ISIL terrorists were killed and their military and armored vehicles, artillery and command centers were destroyed in the air raids.

Damascus

The army increased deployment of fresh forces in Ein Terma and Jobar regions in Eastern Ghouta to restore sustainable security to the capital and surrounding areas, a military source said.

The source said that the army relocated a large number of soldiers from de-escalation zones in Southern Syria to the battlefronts in Ein Terma and Jobar.

The source further said that the first convoy of fresh forces, including several tanks and missile launchers left de-escalation zones for Eastern Ghouta, adding that more military columns will be dispatched to Eastern Damascus in the coming days.

The source went on to say that tough battle was underway between the army soldiers and terrorists in Ein Terma and Jobar, adding that the army would intensify its attack after arrival of  fresh forces.

Idlib

Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) were preparing for an imminent large-scale war in Eastern Idlib after intensified infighting between the two rival terrorist groups.

Tahrir al-Sham and Ahrar al-Sham dispatched a large number of fresh forces and a large volume of military equipment to their positions in Tal al-Towqan and Saraqib and other battlefields in Eastern Idlib after their recent clashes in Tal Toqan region.

Sources close to the terrorist groups disclosed that Tahrir al-Sham Commander Abu Mohammad al-Joulani was preparing for a vast war against Ahrar al-Sham, adding that al-Joulani intends to impose control over large territories that were under Ahrar al-Sham to lay siege on Saraqib and Jabal al-Zawiyeh to separate al-Ghaab plain from the North.

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