The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

The regime forces continue their military operation in al-Sukhnah city and advance north and east of it with a cover of heavy Russian aerial bombardment and shelling with the continued violent clashes

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the military operation of the regime forces are still ongoing in al-Sukhnah the area in the eastern countryside of Homs, after less than 48 hours of the regime’s humanly and militarily full control over the city, which was the last city controlled by the “Islamic State” organization in the province of Homs, and several reliable sources asserted that the regime forces managed, within its operation to fortify al-Sukhnah city from future repel attacks of ISIS, to advance to an area of 2 kilometers to the east from al-Sukhnah city on the road leading to Deir Ezzor, while they also managed to advance to an area of 1 kilometer to the north from al-Sukhnah city on the road of al-Sukhnah – al-Tibah – al-Komen and this advancement coincides with the regime’s ongoing operations to dismantle mines planted by ISIS in the city during the time the organization controlled the city and before withdrawing from it, and this advancement also coincides with heavy and violent bombardment of the Russian and the regime’s warplanes on the area.

The SOHR monitored during the past 24 hours the regime forces ongoing slow advancement in the vicinity of the city and its northern and eastern districts, in an attempt by the regime forces to fortify the city against the repel attacks of ISIS, which used to control the city since May 2015, amid heavy and continued shelling by the regime forces and the Russian warplanes on the northern districts of al-Sukhnah city on the road of al-Sukhnah – al-Tibah – al-Kom, in conjunction with targeting the eastern districts of the city on the road leading to Deir Ezzor.

And the regime forces were able on the night of Saturday the 6th of August 2017 to achieve a significant and strategic advancement in the Syrian Desert, where the regime forces supported by gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and Non-Syrian nationalities controlled Sukhnah city, which was the last city controlled by the “Islamic State” organization, and the process of controlling came after heavy and intense shelling by the regime forces using artillery and rocket shells; and heavy bombardment by Russian and regime’s warplane on the city, while reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the regime forces are sweeping the city in search for pockets or remaining members of the “Islamic State” organization in the city, which controlled by the regime forces by firearm about 8 days ago, except that they have not been able to impose their military and human control over the city, because of tens of fighters of the “Islamic State” organization who have remained and impeded the process of controlling the city, because they refused to surrender or withdraw from the city through the elders mediators of the city and the area and they insisted to continue the fight to the end.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the members who stayed in the city have withdrawn from it, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented at least 30 members of the organization, who were killed during the advancement operation on the 4th and 5th of August 2017, in addition to the presence of wounded, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published at the end of July 2017 that tens of ISIS members remaining continue to refuse withdrawing from Al-Sukhnah city which has been experiencing, since it fell under the fire of the regime forces the day before yesterday till now, the intensive aerial bombardments by the Russian and the regime’s warplanes targeting the outskirts of the city. Reliable sources confirmed to the SOHR that most of the remaining ISIS members are from the people of Al-Sukhnah and chose to fight till the end; refusing to withdraw from the city they seized its control in mid May 2015.

The SOHR also published on Friday, the 28th of July 2017, that ISIS carried out a series of withdrawals from Al-Sukhnah city, which was considered the last city under its control in Homs Province. Cross sources confirmed to the SOHR that most of ISIS members withdrew from the city after the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, managed less than 24 hours before that date to reach the outskirts of the city. ISIS members started to withdraw when the city fell under the regime’s fire following the intensive shelling that the city had been witnessing for 50 days. The regime had lost the city to ISIS in the first half of 2015 when the latter carried out a violent attack on the city and vast areas of Palmyra desert and city.