Last weekend, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies repelled another series of ISIS attacks on the town of al-Bukamal at the Syrian-Iraqi border. ISIS used several suicide bombers and car bombs to break the SAA defense but failed to capture any key positions.
In clashes that took place from June 8 to and June 10, about 35 pro-government fighters were killed, according to pro-opposition sources. In turn, the SAA reportedly killed up to 20 ISIS members and destroyed at least two car bombs.
The SAA also deployed reinforcements, a few fresh units, to stabilize the situation in the area.
According to local sources, all the recent ISIS attempts to capture al-Bukamal involved attacks from the eastern bank of the Euphrates, where the US-led coalition and its proxies from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) should combat the terrorist group.
On June 9, Russian military spokesman Maj. Gen. Konashenkov stated that all the remaining ISIS strongholds in Syria remain in areas controlled by the US-led coalition. Konashenkov’s statement were likely referring to the area of At Tanf and the eastern bank of the Euphrates, where ISIS cells are still pretty active.
Meanwhile, the SDF continued its advance on the town of Dashisha capturing the villages of Abu Hamdah, Shamas and Al-Hulwa. The advance was backed not only by the US-led coalition but also by limited strikes by Iraqi warplanes and artillery, which hit some key ISIS facilities in the border area and the Euphrates Valley.
It is unclear why the SDF and the coalition continue ignoring a group of ISIS-held villages in their area of responsibility of the Euphrates Valley. This ignorance allows some pro-Damascus and pro-Russian sources to speculate that the US-led forces are indirectly encouraging ISIS attacks on government forces.
The SAA also developed its operation against ISIS cells in eastern al-Suwayda liberating the valley of Ar’ar and the village of Rasm Hatite. The ISIS-linked news agency Amaq claimed that 12 SAA soldiers had been killed in the clashes. However, ISIS cells in the area have little chances to resist to government forces for a long time.
Remember, the war, death and destruction crowd in DC is all terrified that a tourist of the Shiite religious faith might actually be able to drive a car from Iran, through Iraq, into Syria and on to Lebanon and thus have a vacation on the Mediterarian coast.
This town, Al Bukamal, is apparently on the border crossing from Iraq and Syria, and is thus key to stopping such a horrible event from happening.
Apparently the world is going to end and western civilization will be destroyed if such a Shiite tourist is allowed to make such a trip. Thus, billions of dollars are spend and many people have already died to make sure that this can not happen.
Here’s hoping that your hypothetical Shiite tourist in Teheran will eventually achieve the road trip of his dreams to a holiday destination on the Med. And that I might join him on my own dream trip (say, we meet in Beirut?) by taking the restored Railway Link up the Via Maris from Haifa via Damascus.
A Shiite driving across multiple borders in the Middle East peacefully for a Mediterranean vacation!!?? Seven hells man! Don’t even dare to think such things, the warmongers can feel the cheerful thoughts of optimism like the Force. Sure as hell they’ll blow up every vehicle in the region to nip that in the bud. Afterward, just to sleep easier, they’ll Deepwater Horizon the Med.
On a serious note, as a citizen of the U.S., I find my government’s hypocrisy ( especially concerning our constant talk of international law) absolutely shameful, and my fellow citizens’ ignorance or indifference disgusting. We need to follow international law for once. Leave where we are unwelcome, stop “indirectly encouraging” attacks on SAA, and ( I must be delusional to say this but here ges) instead of billions annually to Israel you rebuild something you destroyed. Actually put some action into those mythical humanitarian values you speak so much about, instead of killing/ sowing chaos.
that’s terrible – more SAA fighters died than the Daesh crazies – yikes