The regime forces reach the outskirts of the besieged Brigade 137 and violent fighting takes place in its vicinity
The SOHR learned that violent fighting is taking place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, on one hand and ISIS on the other west of Deir Ezzor city. Cross references confirmed to the SOHR that clashes are taking place in the vicinity of the besieged Brigade 137 between ISIS on one hand and the regime forces inside the besieged Brigade and those advancing into the area from Al-Bishri Mountain on the other. The latter advanced into the area a few hour ago and became only 10 km away from the city entrance. The SOHR also learned that ISIS withdrew from the road connecting Al-Sukhna and Deir Ezzor cities including the areas of Kabajib and Al-Shola.
The SOHR published a few hours ago that violent clashes are continuing between the regime forces supported by gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities on one hand, and the members of the “Islamic State” organization on the other, in areas in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, in which the regime forces seek to reach Deir Ezzor city and lift the siege which has been imposed on the city for more than 32 months, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights observed that the regime forces managed to achieve new advancement and control of Al-Kharita oil field
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 3rd of September 2017 that the western dessert of Deir Ezzor witnesses intensive shelling by the regime forces by means of missiles, mortars, tanks and artillery. Such strikes target areas on the main road connecting Al-Sukhna and Deir Ezzor cities. The SOHR learned that violent clashes took place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, on one hand and ISIS on the other in places in Kabajib area located at this road. The regime forces managed to advance into the area and information was reported that they managed to take full control of Kabajib area, which is 40 km away from Deir Ezzor city. The regime forces are attempting to advance into Al-Sukhna-Deir Ezzor road in parallel with their advancement into the north of the road which got them closer to Deir Ezzor city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also observed on the 27th of July 2017 that the regime forces were able for the first time to enter the western administrative borders of Deir Ezzor, while the control of al-Bashri Mountain enabled the regime forces to monitor by firepower and firearm of vast areas in its vicinity, where Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 31st of August that the regime forces supported by their loyal gunmen of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, have managed to achieve a strategic advancement and controlled the largest mountains of the Syrian Desert, where these forces took control of al-Bashri Mountain in the triangle of Al-Raqqah – Deir Ezzor – Homs, which is characterized by its rugged terrain, and is one of the most important strongholds of the “Islamic State” organization in Syria, this mountain witnessed the visits of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi -the leader of the “Islamic State” organization- to meet with military and security commanders of the organization in earlier times. The mountain extends through the administrative borders of 3 provinces and is one of the important positions on which the organization has been depending in the supply operations and for securing its commanders.
This advancement enabled the regime forces to control about 3000 square kilometers of the Syrian Desert, enabling them to go deep and achieve a big advancement in the western Desert of Deir Ezzor, also the control of the Mountain and putting firepower in the mountain will ensure the monitor and firearm control of vast areas of villages and towns of the western countryside to Deir Ezzor, where the regime forces were able to achieve this control in the area by advancing under a cover of intense missile and artillery shelling by the regime forces, and by the bombardment by the Russian warplanes and regime’s warplanes on al-Bashri Mountain and its surroundings, also the by this advancement the regime forces were able to unify both of the previous advancement points in Deir Ezzor, which are the point of advancement of the eastern countryside of area Al-Raqqah, and point of advancement of the road of al-Sukhnah – Deir Ezzor.
It is worth mentioning that the regime forces managed on the 17th of July 2017 to achieve an important advancement taking control of oil fields in the eastern half of the southern countryside of Al-Raqqah. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that this important advancement allowed the regime forces to reach the outskirts of the strategic mountain of Al-Bashri, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 23rd of June 2017 that al-Nujabaa Movement and militiamen loyal to the regime managed to control the areas of al-Wa’er dam, al-Wa’er valley and Ard al-Washwash and several other positions within the areas controlled by the “Islamic State” organization, they have managed to enter the administrative border of Deir Ezzor province from its southeastern countryside near the Iraqi border, where this strategic progress allows the regime forces to expand their controlled areas on the Syrian-Iraqi border.
Link of a high resolution map shows the regime forces in the vicinity of the besieged Brigade 137 at the outskirts of Deir Ezzor city
