The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Air strikes on the southern banks of the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Al-Raqqah

Al-Raqqah Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: warplanes carried out several raids on the eastern countryside of Al-Raqqah, where they targeted areas in Madan town and its vicinity, and there was no information about casualties till now, and in the same context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that 10 citizens at least, including 6 citizen women and including 8 members at least of one family, were killed by bombing by the warplanes of the International Coalition on areas in Al-Raqqah city, thus, the number of casualties who were killed during the past 48 hours by the bombing by the International Coalition warplanes on the city which was the stronghold of the ‘Islamic State” organization previously, has increased to 21 persons at least, including a pharmacist, his wife, his brother and two children, amid continuous violent clashes between the Syria Democratic Forces supported by the US Special Forces on one hand, and the members of ISIS on the other, in areas in Al-Morur neighborhood, where the SDF managed to advance again after days of taking the control over more than half of the neighborhood, while clashes are taking place in the vicinity of Al-Mansour neighborhood and the vicinity of the Old City, where the SDF completed taking the control yesterday.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that violent clashes, which are taking place between the SDF against members of the “Islamic State” organization in al-Busariyah alley remained unliberated in the old city and in the vicinity of the center of the city, allowed the SDF backed by the US Special Forces to advance and control al-Busariyah alley and fully controlled the old city, in which the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces started their first attacks at its gates on the 15th of June 2017, where the SDF are trying to achieve more advancement and reach the center of the city in order to expand its areas of control and tighten the noose on the organization inside the city, while the clashes are accompanied by continued shelling by the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces and aerial bombardment by the international coalitions warplanes on areas in the city, while the SDF had taken control of 90% of the Old City area on the 29th of August 2017. The remaining area is witnessing violent fighting in an attempt by the SDF to take full control of the Old City, meanwhile, people’s resentment towards ISIS is increasing as a result of the accusations it made against them of “inaction and espionage” in addition to the fact that it escalated its security operations and executions of anyone proved to have any contact with the International Coalition or the SDF. Meanwhile, hundreds of civilians are trying to flee ISIS-controlled areas to SDF-controlled areas in search for a safe haven from the continued shelling on the city and from the rule of ISIS. Casualties were reported at both sides as a result of the ongoing clashes in the city; also the continued fighting divided the fronts in the city between two parties. On one hand, the SDF have managed to take control of 62.3% of Al-Raqqah city since the start of the Grand Battle of Al-Raqqah on the 6th of June 2017. On the other hand, ISIS scope of control minimized as it only has control over the neighborhoods of Al-Andalus and north of Seket Al-Qitar, Al-Horiyah, Tshreen, Al-Tawsi’iyah in the northern section of Al-Raqqah city. In addition, ISIS still controls parts of other neighborhoods which witness clashes between the SDF and ISIS. These areas include the neighborhoods of Al-Bareed, Al-Nahdaa and Al-Dar’iyah in the western section of the city, the outskirts of Al-Mansour and Al-Ameen and Al-Morour and Al-Thakana neighborhoods in the city center in addition to Al-Rawda and Al-Ramliyah in the northeast part of Al-Raqqah. On the other hand, the SDF managed to take control of the neighborhoods of Al-Sabahiyah, Al-Romaniyah, Heteen, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Yarmouk and Al-Karim, west of Al-Raqqah, the neighborhoods of Hisham Bin AbdelMalik and Nazlet Shehada in the southern section of the city, the neighborhoods of Al-Sinaa and Mashalb and 90% of the Old City, and Al-Batani in the eastern part of the city in addition to Al-Mansour neighborhood. They also managed to take control of about half of Al-Dar’iyah and Al-Morour neighborhoods and to reach the outskirts of Al-Ameen and Al-Thakana neighborhoods. Moreover, they took control of parts of Al-Ramliyah, Al-Rawda, Al-Bareed and Al-Nahda.

Deir Ezzor Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that two persons were killed by a mine explosion when they were trying to get out of the controlled areas of the “Islamic State” organization through the area of Abu Khashab village in the north-west of Deir Ezzor city, while the warplanes carried out several raids last night, which targeted the vicinity of the Brigade 137 and the vicinity of Deir Ezzor military airport and Al-Bughayliyya area and the vicinity of Jabal al-Thardah, warplanes also targeted places in the towns and villages of Al-Tabni, Zughair Shamiya, Al-Kharita and Ayyash in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor by more intensive strikes, and in the same context the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that the “Islamic State” organization carried out a violent attack in the south-eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, where the attack targeted south of the T2 station, which is near the administrative border between Homs and Deir Ezzor, where violent clashes are taking place accompanied by explosions which shook the area, it is likely to be caused by exploding a booby trapped vehicle by the “Islamic State” organization in the area, amid exchange of shelling on the clash areas, this counter attack comes with carrying out dozens of raids by warplanes on the areas controlled by ISIS in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor city, in conjunction with the continuation of dismantling mines and remove them by the advanced regime forces to secure the both parties, towards the Brigade 137, which has been besieged for more than 32 months by ISIS, amid continuous clashes between the advanced and besieged forces on one hand, and the members of the organization on the other, in the vicinity of the Brigade, while Deir Ezzor military airport is witnessing  shelling by the regime forces which is targeting the organization in Jabal al-Thardah and the vicinity of the airport, after they managed to advance and became about 12 kilometers away from the walls of Deir Ezzor military airport.

And if the regime forces mange to meet each other, they will achieve the first step in lifting the siege of tens of thousands of the besieged citizens in areas controlled by the regime forces in the city, and that will also help citizens to move through a road to reach the controlled areas of the regime forces and the controlled areas of the Syria Democratic Forces and  the controlled areas of the factions, where the city witnessed besieging a large number of families who come from other areas, and they remained besieged since the beginning of January 2015, and lifting the siege will help to deliver food and medical supplies and life necessities to the controlled areas of the regime forces in the city.

And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that sounds of violent explosions are still being heard in the vicinity of Brigade 137 in the outskirts of Deir Ezzor city, which were caused by heavy shelling by the regime forces and warplanes on ISIS-held area in the vicinity of the besieged Brigade. The SOHR learned that hundreds of meters separate the regime forces advancing the western desert of Deir Ezzor from the regime forces inside Brigade 137, which has been besieged by the organization for 32 month, where demining operation are currently underway in the areas between them, as this hinders the meeting between them, which is likely happened by now, after the heavy shelling on the organization members positioned in the areas between them. The SOHR monitored the desperate fighting of the organization aiming to stop the meeting of these two forces of the regime, through blowing up at least 8 car bombs and carrying out violent clashes and suicide bombs by explosive belts. Reliable sources asserted that the members of ISIS who were not killed in this front, are withdrawing.

The SOHR published yesterday that The outskirts and the vicinity of Deir Ezzor city is witnessing violent clashes between the regime forces backed by their allied militiamen of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against ISIS members. The SOHR monitored the advancement of the regime forces and their control over the towns of Kabajeb and al-Shoula located on the main road of al-Sukhnah and Deir Ezzor city, and they managed to advance and get closer to the military base of Deir Ezzor besieged by ISIS. The regime forces have become less than 12 km away from the walls of the base which has been besieged since January 2017, as a result of violent attack by the organization, in which they managed to impose full siege on the airport and the nearby neighborhoods of Harabesh and al-Tahtouh, and the SOHR learned that Russian warplanes continue carrying out airstrikes targeting the “Islamic State” organization-held area and positions in the vicinity and the outskirts of the city.

This approaching to the military base of Deir Ezzor, comes in conjunction with violent clashes taking place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen against members of ISIS in the vicinity of Brigade 137 besieged by ISIS, where the clashes are concentrated between the advanced and besieged regime forces against ISIS members, where the regime forces are trying to advance and meet their besieged forces in the Brigade to implement the first step of lifting the siege on the regime forces controlled areas in the city of Deir Ezzor, while reliable sources asserted to the SOHR that ISIS blew up 8 car bombs in an attempt to prevent the advancement of the regime forces and stop them from meeting the regime forces advancing from the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.