The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

In less than 24 hours | Regime forces restore positions they withdrew from while repelling ISIS attacks in al-Rasafa

SOHR activists have reported that 14 ISIS fighters were killed in Russian clashes and airstrikes on the checkpoints where ISIS advanced yesterday, while regime forces and their loyal factions managed to restore their lost positions in al-Rasafa region in al-Raqqa countryside, in less than 24 hours of fighting and repelling the attacks by ISIS on regime checkpoints in the outskirts of al-Rasafa city.

On the other hand, the regime brought reinforcements to al-Rasafa region to boost the frontlines in the area and to deploy it in search for ISIS cells.

Meanwhile, Russian jets carried out 40 airstrikes targeting al-Rasafa region and positions in Jabal al-Bashary in the Syrian Desert.

Yesterday, ISIS cells members continued violent attack on regime forces and their proxies’ posts in al-Rasafah area under west south al-Raqqa desert where violent clashes erupted between the two sides and the regime forces. SOHR documented death of eight members of the regime forces and its factions in the ongoing attack since the night hours and till now, amid confirmed info about more casualties in lines of the two sides.

Since 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the killing of at least 1,578 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least three Russians, and 153 Iranian-backed militiamen of non-Syrian nationalities. All were killed in attacks, bombings and ambushes by the “Islamic State”, west of Euphrates in the deserts of Deir Ezzor, al-Raqqah, Homs, al-Suwaidaa, Hama and Aleppo.

Also, four civilians working in gas fields, tens of shepherds and other civilians were killed and documented by SOHR in the same period, from late March 2019 until today. They were killed in attacks by ISIS cells. Also 1,081 members of ISIS were killed in the same period during attacks, bombardments and strikes.

Yesterday, SOHR activists reported exchange of bombardment and clashes with heavy weapons between regime forces and their proxy militias on one hand, and ISIS members on the other, in the surrounding areas of al-Rasafah in, nearly 35 kilometres to the south-west of al-Raqqah city. However, no casualties have been reported so far.

On the other hand, Russian fighter jets have executed 20 airstrikes on different areas in the Syrian desert.

Accordingly, the number of Russian airstrikes on the Syrian desert since early October risen to 380, and they targeted positions in the surrounding areas of Ihteriya, al-Rasafah, other areas in Aleppo-Hama-al-Raqqah triangle, al-Sukhnah, Palmyra desert and other areas in east Homs desert, and other area in Deir Ezzor desert.