After targeting their convoy by the International Coalition… military operations for the regime forces in the Syrian Desert and an attempt to besiege US-backed factions
The Syrian Desert witnessed tension because of the intent of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities to carry out a military operation aims to expand their controlled areas in the Desert of which they lost vast areas in the past months and years, due to attacks by the “Islamic State” organization that targeted many of the areas under the control of the regime forces.
These clash started by the regime forces in more than area in the Syrian Desert, and the main goal of the fight was to reach the Syrian-Iraqi border and get the Tanaf border crossing to the control of the regime forces, but continuing this operation was faced by prevention by the international Coalition, and halted the advancement of the regime forces near Zarka area, by targeting a convoy of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them on the 18th of May 2017, the convoy was heading towards al-Tanaf border crossing which is controlled by an opposition US-backed Syrian forces, which killed 8 members of the pro-regime gunmen mostly of non-Syrian nationalities and also injured others members, the strikes also destroyed 4 vehicles at least which were carrying members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them.
The continued clashes for the 5th consecutive day since the 21st of May 2017 in several areas in the Desert the Syrian all pour into one goal, to reclaim more areas and to reach the border with Iraq at the same time, in addition to controlling the entire remaining border area with Jordan, this advancement will be at the expense of the fighters of the factions who are supported by the International Coalition, in conjunction with clashes in areas against the “Islamic State” organization.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored this sporadic clashes that took place in consecutive periods, of which the regime forces with the support of the gunmen loyal to them aim to gain time, and to clamp down on the US-backed opposition factions, by advancing in these factions’ controlled areas, and narrowing on them by approaching new areas on the contact lines with their controlled areas, via regime’s advancement at the expense of the “Islamic State” organization, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented violent clashes in al-Mahsa Mountain area and the desert of al-Qaryatayn, after which the regime forces were able to achieve a large advancement, where they took control of these mountains and hills, after the “Islamic State” organization’s decline of chances in carrying out renewed attacks on this area, being concerned with defending its controlled areas.
The clash of the Syrian Desert in the eastern countryside of Homs of which the regime forces advanced in this morning with the support of their loyal gunmen and became a few kilometers away from al-Busayri area in the southwestern desert of Palmyra, after similar advancement operations in other areas, where the regime forces achieved new advancements and controlled large areas, and clamped down on the “Islamic State” organization and reduced its areas control, along with the 2 operations carried out by the regime forces at the expense of the areas controlled by the US-backed opposition factions, the first one was through advancing on the International road of Damascus – Baghdad from the vicinity of Zaza checkpoint area until reaching Zarka area on the same road, and became about 55 km away from the Tanat border crossing, where the regime forces stopped their troops there. The clashes against the factions of Jaish Maghawir al-Thawra, Jaish Osud al-Sharqiyyah, Shuhada’a al-Qaryatayn Brigade and other rebel factions are taking place in the Syrian Desert in 2 opposite areas, the Scientific Research area in the eastern Al-Qalamoun in Rif Dimashq, and al-Rahba area in the countryside of al-Suwaidaa. The Regime forces try to advance in the area between these 2 fronts, which are about 35 km away of each other’s, aiming to besiege a wide space of this area until reaching Teshreen power plant and al-Dumayr airbase, in conjunction with attempts by the regime forces access to reach Mahsa until controlling in the triangle area of Palmyra – Baghdad – Jordan, to besiege the factions in Jabal al-Afa’ei and the area in its surroundings in the eastern Al-Qalamoun, after which two options will be put forward: either withdrawing through an agreement providing for handing over the weapons and exit towards other areas, or fight till the end.
Reliable sources informed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that these tensions, clashes and targeting that was carried out by the Coalition for a convoy of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, came after 2 simultaneous events; the 1st one was the talk about a military operation by the US-backed factions towards al-Bokamal area across the Syrian Desert adjacent to Iraq, and the 2nd event is regime forces’ intention to restore al-Tanaf crossing, which would have been considered to be the first border crossing to be restored by the regime forces on the Syrian-Iraqi border.