Clashes continue at the east bank of Euphrates River between SDF and ISIS to end the latter’s presence in the area

Deir Ezzor Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: clash continue within the last of what remained for the “Islamic State” Organization in its last enclave in the eastern sector of Deir Ezzor countryside, between members of the Organization against the Syria Democratic Forces, and the clashes are accompanied by renewed exchange of targeting between both parties, and information about more casualties in their ranks, this comes after the Syrian Observatory published yesterday evening that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained information from a number of reliable sources, reporting that a regiment of the Northern Democratic Brigade, has sent tens of its fighters to the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor to participate in the ongoing military operations, in the vicinity and outskirts of the remaining areas of the “Islamic State” organization’s enclave, at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, amid the continued clashes in the vicinity and outskirts of Al-Susah and Al-Baghuz Foqani, at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, between the Syria Democratic Forces against the members of the “Islamic State” organization, and the clashes were accompanied by exchange of targeting in the clash areas between the both parties, amid the flight of the International Coalition warplanes over the area, in conjunction with ground shelling on places in the remaining areas left under the control of the organization, while the SOHR documented the fall of more human losses in the ranks of the both parties, where the SOHR has documented the death of 4 fighters at least of the SDF who were killed in the shelling and clashes against the organization at the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, including a fighter intersected sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that he is descended from Egypt, and he is the first Egyptian fighter to be killed within the ranks of the non-Syrian forces that participate in the SDF’s side in the fighting against the “Islamic State” organization, thus, it rose to 1110, the number of members and leaders of the “Islamic State” Organization, who were killed in the clashes, detonations and raids, while it rose to 617, the number of fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces who have been killed since the 10th of November to 10 December 2018, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented since the 10th of December 2018 the death of 367 people including 130 children and 83 citizen women (including 205 Syrian citizens including 85 children and 54 women of Syrian nationality), also the “Islamic State” organization had executed more than 713 detainees, of who were arrested on various charges including security members and members of the Organization who tried to break away of it and escape its controlled areas, and the executions were carried out inside headquarters and detention centers of the Organization, and within its controlled areas which are today confined to the towns of Sha’afah, al-Susah, al-Baghuz and villages of Abu Hasan, Bo Badran, al-Marashdah, al-Shajla, al-Kashmeh, al-Safiya and al-Bukhatir suburb east of Hajin, which extends along the east bank of Euphrates, along with its last enclave in the deserts of Homs and Deir Ezzor, the same sources also confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the Organization intentionally transferred 350 to 400 detainees and abductees it has; through Euphrates River to its enclave in Homs and Deir Ezzor west of Euphrates River, in addition to releasing hundreds of others, and between the detainees and those who were executed; their families still having the question about their fate, whether they were executed or released, and amid all these tragic events, reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the Organization buried the bodies of its victims in mass graves within its controlled areas.

The Syrian Observatory also monitored hours ago, the absence of missile and air bombing by warplanes of the International Coalition on Monday, while a column of the International Coalition entered the contact areas within the Organization enclave, where this afternoon 7 Hummer vehicles and 2 military Zil truck entered, followed by exit a similar number out of the contact areas, and the Syrian Observatory publishing hours ago that areas on the outskirts and vicinity of al-Susah area within the last remaining enclave of the “Islamic State” Organization on the east bank of Euphrates River, are still witnessing violent clashes between the Syria Democratic Forces against members of the Organization, amid exchange of targeting on the clash areas, within the continuous attempts by the Syria Democratic Forces to achieve more advancements in the area, in conjunction with raids by the International Coalition warplanes on areas in al-Baghuz village and other places at what remained for the Organization on the east banks of the river, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that the  Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored since the beginning of the process with the end of the first third of September 2018, the start of vanishing of ISIS members, coincided with the exit and flee of people through various means from the last enclave of the Organization east of Euphrates to different areas included 3 main destinations, which are the Syria Democratic Forces’ controlled areas, regime forces’-controlled areas and the Iraqi territories, the Syrian Observatory monitored that more than 25000 people of Syrian, Iraqi, Asian, and European nationalities being able to leave the Organization’s enclave, and they headed towards areas controlled by the Syria Democratic Forces in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, and most of them were transferred to camps of the Syria Democratic Forces in al-Hasaka countryside, including about 16600 people left the enclave of the Organization since the decision of the US President Trump to withdraw from Syria; on the 19th of December of 2018, and among the total number of people who have gotten out since September there are about 1500 members of the “Islamic State” Organization, who managed to escape individually or collectively, or surrender themselves to Syria Democratic Forces, while the second destination was regime forces’-controlled areas; and more than 2000 people including about 350 members of the “Islamic State” Organization of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities have headed towards it, where they went to the west of Euphrates and to the enclave of the Organization north of al-Sokhna and connected with Deir Ezzor Desert, while more than 3000 civilians and members of the “Islamic State” Organization headed towards the Iraqi territory, when there was a ground access to the area, and the Syrian Observatory learned that the Organization called on the Syria Democratic Forces and the International Coalition to open a safe passage for it to move to the Iraqi desert, but their request was rejected, and it was given one offer, “surrender or die”, where this is the first request by the Organization to withdraw, despite the ferocity of the previous attacks by the Syria Democratic Forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored during this period since last September 2018, that the Syria Democratic Forces were able to control towns and villages of Hajin, al-Sha’afah, al-Bo Khatir, al-Bobadran, al-Kashmeh, and al-Baghuz Tahtani, while al-Susah town and the areas between them are still under the control of the “Islamic State” Organization, also people of those who fled confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the organization is greatly collapsed, and it cannot resist no more, where the organization depends in repelling the attacks, on the heavily-planted landmines, the booby trapped vehicles and the “suicide bombers”.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the number of those who remained in the enclave of the “Islamic State” Organization is much lower than before, in conjunction with significant decrease in number of fighters, who were divided between supporters of the surrender and between escapee, dead, wounded, and searchers for escape from the area towards the west of Euphrates areas, while several sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the presence of fighters refusing to surrender who want to resistance to the end; and the presence of large numbers of mines planted within the “Islamic State” organization’s-controlled areas; are still preventing the Syria Democratic Forces from taking full control of the area and put an end the presence of the organization east of Euphrates River, the local sources that managed to escape and exit from the enclave, confirmed that the organization is executing those who its arrests during their escape From the area; on charges of “going out to the land of infidel,”.