The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Shelling and targeting operations renew between SDF and ISIS within the latter’s enclave in the east of the Euphrates

Deir Ezzor Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored crossfire and renewed exchange of targeting with machineguns in Hajin area in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside, between the Syria Democratic Forces against the “Islamic State” organization, along with renewed rocket shelling by the SDF on the organization’s positions and controlled areas within the last enclave left under its control at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, without information so far about casualties, and the Syrian Observatory published hours ago, that the “Islamic State” Organization for the first time targeting directly al-Tank oilfield by several rocket shells, which landed about 50 meters away of the field at 2 pm today, on the 2nd of December 2018, this targeting coincided with drilling a trench by the Syria Democratic Forces in the vicinity of al-Tank Oilfield, and the reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that they completed about 300 meters of the trench, which is expected to end in the next 24 hours, to prevent the Organization from reaching the oilfield in future attacks, where this oilfield contains a military base of the Syria Democratic Forces and military advisers from the International Coalition, and the Syrian Observatory learned that the fog lasted for several hours today amid bad weather conditions, coincided with artillery shelling by the International Coalition and the Syria Democratic Forces, followed by aerial bombardment by the International Coalition on the area.

The Syrian Observatory monitored as the fog was forming; an attack by the “Islamic State” Organization for the first time on sites for the new forces that arrived from Jaysh al-Thowwar of the Syria Democratic Forces, where violent clashes took place between both parties, amid exchange of targeting in the clash areas, and the Syrian Observatory published on the 30th of November 2018 that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the arrival of more than 15000 fighters in the last eight days of the Syria Democratic Forces, Jaysh al-Thowwar, Jabhat al-Akrad Brigade, Shams al-Shamal Battalion, YPG, Women Protection Units, and the self-defense forces, where most of the forces were brought from YPG forces from the areas of al-Shaddadi, al-Hool, al-Qameshly, al-Hasakah, Ras al-Ayn, and other areas al-Hasaka province, also the number of fighters of the Special Forces in YPG and the fighters coming from al-Hasaka province and Women Protection Units forces reached to about 5000 fighters, where these forces are waiting to be deployed along the perimeter of ISIS enclave and its outskirts and in the desert near it, waiting for a signal to start the ground military operation that the International Coalition has been preparing for to lead and participate in, especially through the aerial targeting, surveillance of the organization’s movements and targeting its positions.

Also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the entry of a new shipment of weapons and military equipment to the eastern Euphrates area coming from the Kurdistan area of Iraq, where tens of trucks were seen carrying equipment into the area, and the Syrian Observatory was able to monitor and record them in a video, where the convoy included 75 trucks including 30 trucks loaded with American Hummer vehicles, and 20 trucks loaded with Jeep cars, 5 trucks loaded with petrol tanks and 5 other trucks loaded with SUVs and other cars, but the last 15 trucks were closed and it is not known what they were carrying, and this equipment -which arrived in the east of Euphrates during the hours of last night- comes in conjunction with the establishment of a US base in the area between Sluk and Tal Abyad in the northern countryside of al-Raqqah, and in conjunction with preparations in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside; to begin a military operation to end the existence of the “Islamic State” organization in the entire area, through controlling ISIS enclave extending from Hajin town and along the east bank of Euphrates river until the Syrian-Iraqi border.