The regime forces continue their counter attack in Palmyra desert to restore what they lost
Homs Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:
Violent clashes are taking place since after midnight yesterday until now in several areas in the eastern countryside of Homs, between the “Islamic State” organization against the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, after the continuation of the attack which was carried out by the last mentioned on the area, after being able to advance during the past two days, and controlling points and the positions he had lost earlier, where the violent clashes between both parties are concentrated in the area of Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, accompanied by aerial bombardment and intensive rocket and artillery shelling, and confirmed information about casualties and injuries in the ranks of both parties.
the regime forces are trying to regain control of areas they had lost since the organization’s violent attack on the 8th of December 2016, the attack targeted Palmyra area, oilfields, ancient sites and nearby facilities in the eastern countryside of Homs, after the arrival of reinforcement of more than 300 fighters and commanders sent by the leadership of the “Islamic State” organization after a meeting between the commander of “Jaysh al-Sham” with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the “Islamic State” and the Minister of War in the organization, where both of them confirmed to the commander of Jaysh al-Sham that the reinforcements would be continuous and successive from now on, after the last mentioned explained the bad military situation of the fighters and members of the organization on the fronts, where they fight against “Euphrates Shield”, the Syria Democratic Forces and the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them.
The organization was able to control during this attack the city of Palmyra, the ancient city, Palmyra airbase, Palmyra Castle, Qasr al-Hayr, al-Mohr field, Jahar company, al-Hallabat Palace, Hayyal Mountain, the granaries, Jazl field, Palmyra warehouses, Traf al-Raml farms, villages of Sharifah and Eastern al-Bayda and others sites around Palmyra city and its desert.