ISIS closes Deir Ezzor’s main road for the first time after breaking the siege

More than 28 dead of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them during the violent attack of the “Islamic State” organization and its advance in the deserts of Deir Ezzor and Sukhnah.

The “Islamic State” organization continues its violent attack on the area located south of Deir Ezzor – Damascus road, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the violent clashes continue between the regime forces supported by gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, Clan Forces and with the participation of Russian forces against members of the ISIS terrorist group, in the area extending from Shula area on the road of Deir Ezzor – Damascus passing through Kabajeb area. Until the eastern desert of Sukhnah, within an extensive attack by the organization in an attempt to close the road to Deir Ezzor Province, and cause casualties and material losses in the ranks of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the ISIS terrrorist group being able to regain control of Shola town, which was controlled by the regime forces about 20 days ago, and closed the road of Deir Ezzor – Damascus for the first time after breaking the siege on the 10th of September 02017. The clashes were accompanied by heavy shelling by the regime forces and raids carried out by a squadron of Russian warplanes targeting the organization and its positions, but without being able to repel its advancement.

Also the area has witnessed an intense shelling by members of the organization, and the clashes in Shola area and the western desert of Deir Ezzor have killed at least 18 members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, while the clashes in al-Sukhnah Desert have killed at least 10 members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, in addition to injuring tens of others and some members were captured, and confirmed information about casualties and injuries in the ranks of the attacker members of the organization.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that the regime forces managed to cross in the 18th of September 2017, in which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the regime forces managed to advance and completed to control parts of Deir Ezzor – Al-Busayrah Road on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, this important advancement by the regime forces enabled them to complete to encircle and impose full siege on the ISIS terrorist group in Deir Ezzor city, as well as besieging it in Al-Husseiniyah village and the rest of the areas on the eastern banks opposite Deir Ezzor city, where the organization is besieged in the area by the regime forces and the Syria Democratic Forces, while violent clashes are taking place between the both parties in areas in al-Sena’aa neighborhood and other areas in Deir Ezzor city, where the SOHR learned that the members of the organization are trying to lift the siege imposing on them while the regime forces are trying to clamp down more and more on the members of the regime, and the violent clashes are accompanied by carrying out intensive raids by warplanes on the clash area in the city and its countryside, and in the same context, the regime forces are still continuing their rocket shelling on places in Al-Husseiniyah village which is located on the eastern bank.

Opposite Deir Ezzor city is preparing for taking the control of it to impose the siege on the ISIS terrorist group in side Deir Ezzor city, in which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that the violent clashes are still continuing between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities and clan forces with the participation of the Russian forces on one hand, and the members of ISIS on the other, in areas in the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, where the regime forces managed to cross in the 18th of September 2017, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the regime forces managed to achieve advancement in the area and imposed their control on 4 villages opposite Deir Ezzor city and its Military Airbase, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.

Reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the regime forces managed to advance in the villages of Marrat, Hatla, Mazlum and Khesham, after bringing large military reinforcements of vehicles, supplies and members, which crossed the Euphrates River, through the moving bridges which were set up by Russia on the Euphrates River.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also monitored that the regime forces seek by this advancement to impose the siege on the “Islamic State” organization inside Deir Ezzor, where the regime forces backed by ground Russian forces as well as Russian warplanes, are trying to force the “Islamic State” organization to withdraw before imposing the siege on it, by an operation in which they will encircle the town and impose a siege on it from the east of the Euphrates River, and close all ways out of the city, as only one village still separates the regime forces to impose that siege.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 25th of September 2017, that it rose to 79, including at least 7 members of the Russian forces, the number of the regime forces and their allied militiamen of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, who were killed by ISIS members in their violent and repel attacks on the regime forces-held areas and their car bombs and suicide belts targeting these areas in the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, also tens were injured with different severity, some of whom are still in serious conditions, which may increase the death toll, while the Russian warplanes carried out heavy airstrikes on areas north of Khasham town adjacent to oil fields east of the Euphrates in the countryside of Deir Ezzor, including Koniko gas field which is controlled by the SDF.

This death toll in the ranks of the regime forces and their allied militiamen comes since the 18th of September, the date the regime forces and the Russian forces crossed the river through the water bridges and the boats, where the SOHR monitored the members of ISIS withdrawing the dead members of the regime forces and their allied militiamen and move around the villages and areas under the organization control, in an attempt to show off their “power and ability to defeat the attackers”.

That scouting forces of the regime forces crossed the Euphrates River to the eastern bank of it which is opposite Deir Ezzor city under a Russian cover, by using water bridges, and that took place after intensive shelling by the regime forces targeted the banks opposite to Deir Ezzor Military Airbase and the areas of Al-Jafrah and Al-Mrey’eyah which the regime forces controlled.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 10th of September 2017, that the regime forces managed to open the main road coming from Damascus, and the operation of lifting the siege was carried out on 3 stages the first was to lift the siege on the Brigade 137, then lifting the siege of Deir Ezzor Military Airport and the bloc of neighborhoods related to it, and the third stage was to reach the western entrance of Deir Ezzor city at the area of Panorama area after taking the control of Damascus – Deir Ezzor road.

Source: Human Rights Syria