Syria in Past 24 Hours:

Army Preparing to Capture Last Key Terrorist Stronghold in Deir Ezzur

Rasa - The Syrian Army troops have purged the entire villages and regions on the Western bank of the Euphrates River from Deir Ezzur up to al-Mayadeen, paving the ground for capturing the town of Albu Kamal at the border with Iraq, a military source said Wednesday.

News ID: 433247

Date: 19 October 2017 - 19:03

RNA - The Syrian Army troops have purged the entire villages and regions on the Western bank of the Euphrates River from Deir Ezzur up to al-Mayadeen, paving the ground for capturing the town of Albu Kamal at the border with Iraq, a military source said Wednesday.

Deir Ezzur

A military source said that the army men drove ISIL out of the village of al-Abd after capturing the town of Mouhassan and Bu Leil.

The source further said that the army men have cleaned the entire villages and regions on the Western bank of the Euphrates River from Bu Amr, Mouhassan, Bu Leil, al-Sa'alou, al-Zabari, Buqrus Fowqani and Buqrus Tahtani up to al-Mayadden, paving the ground for an imminent operation to liberate the town of Albu Kamal at the border with Iraq.

The source said that a large number of ISIL fighters were killed and their remaining pockets fled the battlefield towards the town Khusham.

Also in the past 24 hours, several senior ISIL commanders have escaped from the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur following the rapid advances of the Syrian Army troops in different flanks and the collapse of the terrorist front in the region, local sources reported.

The sources said that Commander of the Northern flank Sadam al-Adish and Maher al-Kamari, one of the notorious security commanders of ISIL, has escaped from Deir Ezzur province.

They further said that Khalid al-Hassan al-Khalil al-Azawi nom de guerre Abu al-Adileh, the commander of ISIL's media wing, has also escaped, adding that Mas'ab al-Rashid, another security commander of the terrorist group, has left Deir Ezzur for other ISIL-controlled regions.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian Army troops hit ISIL's defense lines in Deir Ezzur city and its outskirts, tightening the siege on the terrorists in the city neighborhoods, battlefield sources confirmed.

The army men clashed fiercely with ISIL in al-Sina'ah and al-Omal neighborhoods and managed to advance against terrorists in Deir Ezzur city.

The army soldiers pushed ISIL back from more positions in Share'a al-Saeed and al-Rasafeh neighborhoods, inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists.

In the meantime, the Syrian and Russian fighter jets pounded ISIL's positions in the city, leaving a number of terrorists dead.

The army's simultaneous advances against ISIL in the three flanks of Eastern Deir Ezzur, Eastern bank of the Euphrates River and inside the city are forcing the terrorist front into imminent collapse.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian Army troops managed to impose control over three more neighborhoods in the Eastern city of Deir Ezzur, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

The army men seized control of the old airport, al-Khasarat and al-Kanamat neighborhoods.

A large number of ISIL terrorists were killed or wounded in street battles with the army soldiers and their remaining pockets fled to Huweija Kate'a neighborhood.

In the meantime, militant-affiliated websites reported that ISIL fighters have opened fire at the group's security members while retreating from the old airport, killing all of them.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian Army has imposed control over 90 percent of Deir Ezzur city and come close to accomplishing its mission, field sources confirmed.

The sources said that the army men, backed up by the country's artillery units and Air Force, continued to advance against ISIL in Deir Ezzur, driving terrorists out of half of Huweija al-Kate'a neighborhood.

They added that the army men are in control of over 90 percent of Deir Ezzur city neighborhoods following their recent advances against ISIL.

Also in the past 24 hours, the US and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reached an agreement with the ISIL to transfer a number of terrorists to oilfields in Northeastern Deir Ezzur for a new round of combat against government troops in the region, a Syrian media outlet reported.

The Arabic-language al-Watan daily reported that a number of ISIL terrorists have been transferred to the al-Amu oilfield in Northeastern Deir Ezzur 12 km away from the town of al-Mayadeen to slow down the Syrian army advances after striking a deal with the US and the SDF.

In the meantime, al-Alam news website quoted sources as saying that the US has paved the way for the ISIL terrorists to leave the villages of al-Hosseiniyeh and al-Salehiyeh for the al-Amr oilfield.

Field reports said that despite rumors by the US-led coalition, the ISIL terrorists have not been transferred to al-Tabaqa prison in Raqqa or Ein al-Arab (Kobani) in Northern Syria.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian Army troops are getting ready to cross the Euphrates River to liberate ISIL-held oilfields in Eastern Deir Ezzur, military sources confirmed.

The sources said the army's elite Tiger Forces will lead an imminent operation to cross to the Eastern Euphrates bank South of al-Busayrah region to move directly towards the al-Amr oilfields.

Also on Wednesday, Syrian Army Commander Major General Issam Zahreddin was martyred in Deir Ezzur after his convoy struck a landmine planted by the ISIL terrorists.

The English-language Lebanon-based AMN quoted a military source as saying that General Zahreddin was conducting a special operation at Saqr Island in Deir Ezzur, when his vehicle struck the land mine.

General Zahreddin was the commander of the elite 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard that fought off the ISIL for several years, while under siege and under-supplied.

The General was born in rural Sweida village of Tarba and was 56 years old at the time of his death.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian Army troops hit ISIL's defense lines hard in the few districts remaining under terrorists' control in the city of Deir Ezzur, and won control over four more neighborhoods.

The army soldiers drove ISIL out of the neighborhoods of Sahre'a Bu Saeed, Tahtouh, al-Omal and Harbish.

The ISIL suffered heavy casualties in the army attacks and the remaining pockets of the terrorist group retreated to other regions.

Idlib

The Turkish Army has asked Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) to hand over control over several strategic bases in Idlib province, well-informed forces disclosed on Wednesday.

The sources said that Turkey has called on Al-Nusra to transfer control of Abu al-Dhohour airport to the Ankara forces after the army entered Idlib province and seized control over Taftnaz base on Tuesday.

Ankara has also called on Al-Nusra to deliver al-Doweileh air-defense base West of Idlib to the Turkish army.

The sources further said that talks between the Turkish army and Al-Nusra are underway because the bases are the most important positions of Fatah al-Sham Front with large depots of ammunition.

Turkey intends to use Abu al-Dhohour base and other airports for easier transfer of forces and military equipment.

In the meantime, Ankara has picked up several crucially important bases, including al-Mastoumeh, Wadi al-Sheif and al-Ikara to call for their handover in later stage.

Hama

The Al-Nusra Front engaged in heavy fighting with ISIL and managed to capture two villages and several hills in Northeastern Hama, militant-affiliated websites reported on Wednesday.

The websites reported that the Al-Nusra terrorists pushed ISIL back from the villages of Sarha and al-Jardawi and several hills near the villages in Northeastern Hama.

A number of terrorists from both sides were killed in the clashes.

Homs

More than 100 militants that laid down arms and applied for amnesty in Northern Homs were pardoned by Damascus government on Wednesday.

105 militants, who had endorsed the peace agreement with the Syrian Army in al-Rastan and Talbiseh regions, received government amnesty from the peace committee and returned to normal life.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian Army troops kicked off a fresh round of anti-ISIL operation codenamed Valfajr 3 in Syria's Badiyeh (desert) and managed to advance toward the second station in Southeastern Homs.

The army men engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL East of Humeimeh region and advanced against terrorists in a large region in 8km depth and 5km in width South of a road connecting Humeimeh to the second station.

The army men now have entered border region with Deir Ezzur 9km away from the second station following the advances.

847/940