The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Artillery and rocket shelling by the SDF and the Coalition leaves destruction and wounded in ISIS enclave east of the Euphrates in the wake of movements to start a military operation

Deir Ezzor Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored bombardment by warplanes believed to be of the International Coalition, which targeted areas in the enclave controlled by the “Islamic State” organization at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, which targeted areas in Hajin town, in conjunction with similar bombardment on areas in Al-Shafa town, which resulted in the injury of a young man, while this bombardment is coincided with shelling by the Syria Democratic Forces which targeted Al-Susah town and al-Marashdah village, where local sources said that the shells fell on a house and a mosque, which caused material damage to property and to the mosque, without information about casualties.

This shelling comes following new movements by the international coalition monitored by the SOHR, in the vicinity of the final enclave of the “Islamic State” organization east of Euphrates River, where intersected sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that Forces of the Coalition had moved one of their mobile bases to a place near Hajin area within this ISIS enclave, in preparation for the start of the military operation of the International Coalition Forces and the Syria Democratic Forces against ISIS, to end its presence in the entire east of Euphrates River, where the organization is no longer a dominant force  except in the enclave located on the east bank of the river, which includes 4 towns: Hajin, al-Susah, al-Shafa, and al-Baghuz, where these preparations come after the Syria Democratic Forces and the Forces of the International Coalition increased their points of presence in the vicinity of this enclave.

This new move comes in the wake of massive military mobilization, and bringing military reinforcements of hundreds of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles, armored vehicles, machines, and ammunitions, to completely end the presence of the Organization, following repeated failures in breaking in the enclave, as a result of the violent repelling of the attack by the Organization which is in control of this enclave, while the International Coalition had frequently dropped leaflets on areas controlled by the organization, calling civilians to displace and ISIS members to surrender, and after al-Sha’fa crossing was opened and the entry of aid and foodstuffs into ISIS enclave, and the displacement of tens of families of ISIS members, where the non-Syrians were relocated to camps under the control of the Syria Democratic Forces, while the Syrian families were allowed to go out towards other areas of Deir Ezzor Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also published on the 11th of July 2018 that the Syrian Observatory that the French Forces in particular have obtained incomplete information about a tunnel for the organization in Hajin area, which is about 8 km long and the cars and vehicles can go through it, where the French Forces are trying to get full information about the tunnel and its location, so that the International Coalition can start the military operation, the SOHR also obtained information from reliable sources reported that there are more than 65 first-rank commanders of the “Islamic State” organization in Hajin town in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, the majority of them are of Iraqi nationality in addition to foreign nationalities, and the sources have also reported to the Syrian Observatory that there are more than 800 detainees of the “Islamic State” organization in Hajin town, their fate is unknown until the moment.