New attack | Unknown gunmen set fire to “al-Faysal” oil well in eastern Deir Ezzor
Deir Ezzor province: SOHR sources have reported that unknown gunmen have attacked “al-Faysal” oil well in the north of al-Busayrah city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor this morning. The attackers set fire to the well, which is located in SDF-held areas, before they escaped. No casualties have been reported.
This development coincided with prevalence of ISIS cells in SDF-controlled areas and regime-held areas throughout the desert.
On November 15, SOHR sources reported that areas under the control of Syria Democratic Forces experienced noticeable escalation of ISIS cells’ operations since early November, as Syrian Observatory documented the death of 13 people assassinated in Deir Ezzor, al-Hasakah and al-Raqqah during this period. Among the total death toll, there were three SDF fighters, three people killed in al-Hawl camp, they were a Syrian girl and two Iraqi refugees, including the official in charge of the Iraqi Refugee Council in the camp.
Moreover, SOHR documented five separate attacks by ISIS, which targeted SDF positions and checkpoints in Deir Ezzor, al-Raqqah and al-Hasakah countryside. These attacks could be summarised as follows:
- A man, believed to be of ISIS cells, blew up a grenade in a the centre of the military police in Safya town in al-Hasakah.
- An IED exploded in a vehicle carrying members of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) in Hajin in eastern Deir Ezzor.
- An IED exploded in al-Raqqah city, injuring an SDF fighter.
- ISIS cells attacked an SDF vehicle with RPG in Daman city in Deir Ezzor countryside.
- Unknown gunmen, believed to be of ISIS cells, opened fire on the checkpoint of al-Hadiqah in al-Shuhayl town.