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Pro-government forces have achieved a decisive victory over ISIS in the southern countryside of Deir Ezzor city.
On Saturday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) TigerForces, the Syrian Republican Guard (SRG) and their allies liberated Maliha village, the Tayyem oil field and reached the Thurda Mountains south of the city. Separately, government troops overrun the ISIS defense in the cemetery area inside Deir Ezzor and established a corridor to Deir Ezzor Airport breaking the ISIS siege on this strategic military facility.
On the same day, Abu Mustafa, a commander of the Hezbollah operation in Deir Ezzor gave an interview to the the Lebanese al-Mayadeen news TV channel inside the airport. He officially confirmed the Hezbollah involvement in the anti-ISIS operation and praised the Syrian leadership, the Hezbollah leadership as well as Russia for the support to Deir Ezzor. Hezbollah members have been operating in Deir Ezzor since 2014 when they were airlifted to the airport.
On Sunday, the SAA and its allies seized the Panorama Area and established a full control over the Palmyra-Deir Ezzor highway. Then, they liberated the Thurdah Mountains and pushed ISIS out from their remaining positions south of the cemetery area.
The Hezbollah media wing in Syria announced Deir Ezzor Airport was fully secured and it will be operational again as soon as possible.
According to pro-ISIS sources, the terrorist group killed over 80 Syrian soldiers, destroyed at least two battle tanks and 10 vehicles as well as captured few Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) and 2 vehicles belonging to the SAA during the recent clashes. On the other hand, pro-government sources have not provided detailed reports about the alleged ISIS losses since Saturday.
The US-led coalition and the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) used the SAA success in Deir Ezzor in order to launch own operation against ISIS in the province.
On Saturday, the SDF announced a start of the “al-Jazeera Tempest” campaign aimed at capturing the entire area north and east of Deir Ezzor city. This means that the SDF seeks to seize the strategic Omar oil field as well as may try to capture some parts of the Deir Ezzor-Baghdad highway cutting off this vital supply line that could be established between Iraq and Syria.
On Sunday, the SDF reached the industrial zone in the northwestern countryside of Deir Ezzor city after re-capturing a number of points in the Khabur river valley with almost no ISIS resistance.
ISIS claimed that its members destroyed a Humvee and a heavy gun of the SDF with ATGMs in al-Kurafi village and conducted a VBIED attack on the SDF in some area 20km north of Deir Ezzor.
The US-led coalition officially confirmed that it provides equipment, training, intelligence and logistics support, precision fires and battlefield advice for SDF units involved in the operation. Meanwhile, sources linked to the so-called Raqqah Civil Council, a body created by the SDF to rule Raqqah, claimed that Major General Rupert Jones, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the US-led coalition, said that the coalition will not allow the SAA to cross the Euphrates River and even threatened to strike the SAA. These claims have not been denied or confirmed by the coalition.
Now, government forces have two options in Deir Ezzor province:
- To liberate the remaining ISIS-held area in Deir Ezzor city;
- To outflank the city in order to encircle it and to block further SDF advances in its northern countryside.
The second one could easily led to escalation between the Syrian-Russian-Iranian alliance and the US-led coalition.
It is the SAA who should be putting down red lines to the SDF, who in turn have no business being anywhere near Deir Ezzor… Flagrant opportunism by the USA which needs to be dealt with ASAP
After watching 30 min documentary from ANNA news I have impression that SAA in Deir Ezzor region are poorly armed, and if no Russian close air support their offensive would even collapsed and is sluggish since day 1. The question is why ? This open desert could be controlled within few days if ISIS faces a real mechanized brigade under the wings of CAS.
The ANNA 30 minute doc was with the Tiger Force, fast-moving spearhead.
It had close air support from Russian and Syrian AF. It had enough artillery and tanks. The key was it was well-led and highly spirited. Morale is what counts, and good Intel using drones. They were never hit by suicide VIEDS. They were carefully led through mine fields. And they beat the snot out of ISIS in order to breech the front of ISIS and get inside to join up with the 137th.
It was a taste of how desert warfare is done. Generalship is the key. Think Patton, Rommel, Montgomery. This was a battalion or so of Syrians, Palestinians (Liwa militia), Hezbollah foot soldiers with some excellent experts on the big weapons.
It gave ISIS few big targets, yet the firepower and maneuvers by the Syrians were facile tactics.
The key was high morale and leadership. Syrians are on a roll for many weeks. ISIS has lost all its advantages. They cannot mount counter-attacks.
The Russian airstrikes have been withering, day and night.
Israeli media begs US to prepare for a war with Syria, Russia, Iran
https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/article/israeli-media-begs-us-prepare-war-syria-russia-iran/
“Israeli media has reached the new moral low of openly begging the United States to prepare for war in Syria even if it means coming into direct confrontation with major Syrian allies like Russia and Iran.
In a recent article titled “Why Israel needs to Prepare America for the Upcoming War in Syria,” Jerusalem Post writer Eric R. Mandel (an American Zionist) proposes that the US government and people must be made war-willing partners of Israel in the event of any future attack by the Israeli Defense Forces against Syrian, Russian and/ or Iranian military targets.
The article by Mandel is an outstanding example of how Israeli pro-war interest groups – speaking through right-wing Zionists in top American military and foreign policy circles – try to entice the US government and population into participating in wars that only benefit the hegemonic ambitions of Israel’s deep state.”
US forces had better leave Syrian territory on their own: Deputy FM
http://en.abna24.com/news/middle-east/us-forces-had-better-leave-syrian-territory-on-their-own-deputy-fm_853564.html
“In an interview with Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television channel on Sunday, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad said the presence of any foreign forces in Syria would be unacceptable.
Any party seeking to fight terrorism has to coordinate with the Syrian army, Mekdad said, adding that the American forces had destroyed infrastructure in Syria and their activities “worked to serve terrorism.”
Syrian Army poised to retake Tanf Crossing from Americans
https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/article/syrian-army-poised-retake-tanf-crossing-americans/
“The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is not interested in sharing any part of the Homs-Iraq border with the U.S. Coalition, despite claims by the latter that they are merely at the Tanf Crossing to fight the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIL) in Iraq.
According to a military source in Damascus, the Syrian Army will continue to push towards the Tanf Crossing and will not accept any deal that would allow the U.S. to control this portion of southern Syria.”
Mass Graves Near Deir ez-Zor May Hold Victims of US-Led Coalition Airstrikes
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201709121057308148-syria-deir-ez-zor-mass-graves/
“Over 700 bodies have been found in mass graves near Deir ez-Zor in Syria. A special commission will soon begin identifying the remains. A source told Sputnik that the bodies of those killed in US-led coalition airstrikes may be in the mass graves discovered.
The graves were found in the area of al Shaitat to the west of the city, near the village of Abu Hamam and according to a medical source contained the bodies of women and children.
“Measures are currently being taken to preserve the remains before an independent commission starts working. Its experts are expected to determine the cause of death of those people. There are numerous pieces of evidence that the airstrikes by the [United States-led] international coalition may have resulted in mass civilian casualties in the area,” the source told Sputnik Arabic.”
“Over 700 bodies have been found in mass graves near Deir ez-Zor in Syria. A special commission will soon begin identifying the remains. A source told Sputnik that the bodies of those killed in US-led coalition airstrikes may be in the mass graves discovered.
An independent forensic commission has been established in Syria to identify the bodies found in mass graves near the city of Deir ez-Zor.
The graves were found in the area of al Shaitat to the west of the city, near the village of Abu Hamam and according to a medical source contained the bodies of women and children.
“Measures are currently being taken to preserve the remains before an independent commission starts working. Its experts are expected to determine the cause of death of those people. There are numerous pieces of evidence that the airstrikes by the [United States-led] international coalition may have resulted in mass civilian casualties in the area,” the source told Sputnik Arabic.
Syrian pro-government forces hold a position near the village of al-Maleha, in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor, on September 9, 2017, during the ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group jihadists
© AFP 2017/
Syrian Armed Forces Clearing Area Around Deir Ez-Zor Airfield From Daesh
Moreover, the source suggested that more mass graves are likely to be found across the province of Deir ez-Zor in the near future. During the course of the Syrian conflict, mass graves have been discovered in every area that was controlled by terrorists.
According to expert estimates, the recently discovered graves are more than one year old. So far, 40 of the 750 bodies found have been identified. A total of 2,000 were killed in airstrikes and Daesh attacks in the area.”
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201709121057308148-syria-deir-ez-zor-mass-graves/
The fog of war. Since breaking the siege of Deir Ezzor we have had hardly any updates from the Syrian-Russian side except on their successful efforts to widen and secure the perimeter around DZ.
Zionmedia, on the other hand, has been in overdrive spreading all kind of hype, memes, rumors, half truths, and outright lies lately, that never can be verified on the ground, but are nonetheless heavily pushed by countless sites and Facebook and Twitter feeds.
Once again, my friend of a friend is one of the few out there with up-to-date, coherent, crucial Intel and (and maybe slightly overoptimistic) guesstimates on the current situation. Let me quote him at length:
“Special forces have already crossed the Euphrates and will soon take control of the left banks of the river from ISIS. This operation is absolutely vital to remove all ISIS presence in Der ez Zor city, the left bank is where ISIS is receiving resupplies and ammo, cutting it off will cut ISIS’ life in Der ez Zor.
The SAA will also take control of the nearby oil fields and block SDF’s advance. This is happening with intense RuAF presence in the air. You won’t hear confirmation of this operation until the Syrian MoD decides to spread the world, but soon we will hear more about it. As of now, no news about the point of crossing.
All the info on US attacks on SAA positions in Der ez Zor has been fog spread by US allies, clearly under US direction to confuse troops on the ground. It seems the US has not learnt that the amount of SAA and allies manpower in Der ez Zor is very large already – tens of thousands of soldiers – and that communication is freely flowing as never before.
We should not be surprised to hear the anti-aircraft missiles have been re-installed at Der ez Zor base, soon jets will be flying in and out. Most likely new defence systems will be brought to Der ez Zor airbase, that will control all east and NE of Syria.
The SAA and allies are prepping a huge offensive toward the lower Euphrates, it seems there will be action on both sides of the river, plus from T3-T2 axis, all the way toward Abu Kamal. Major ops ahead, with lots of Iraqi PMU inside Syria – 3.000 just arrived few weeks back for this ops. It will be timed with the liberation of al Tanf on the Syria-Iraq border.”
US-backed forces on collision course with Syrian Army in ‘race for Deir ez-Zor oilfields’
Published time: 12 Sep, 2017 05:25
Edited time: 12 Sep, 2017 10:24
https://www.rt.com/news/402995-syria-us-deir-ez-zor-oil/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome#.WbeXE2Sn5WQ.facebook
I do wish RT would produce a daily synposis on Syria in their main news-it ain’t over yet, there are still big “chunks’ and issues to deal with, including Astana process.
bit more
“The Syrian troops are completing the defeat of the Islamic State terror group, which blocked Deir ez-Zor’s northern and southern neighborhoods, the Russian military group’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Alexander Lapin, told reporters on Tuesday according to TASS.
“At the moment the operation to liberate the city continues. The Syrian troops are completing the defeat of the ISIL group, which blocked Deir ez-Zor’s northern and southern neighborhoods,” Lapin said.
“The Kalibr cruise missiles launched from the Admiral Essen patrol ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet have destroyed militant command posts and communication hubs, which made it possible to disrupt the management of ISIL units in this area,” the general said.
“More than 450 militants, five tanks and 42 pickup trucks with installed large-caliber machine guns were wiped out during the operation. Units of the 5th assault corps advancing from Palmyra through Es Sukhne entered the city from the southern direction,” he emphasized.”
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/09/russia-syrian-army-are-making-advances.html