48 hours of violent fighting, bombings and intensive shelling in Deir Ezzor leaves more than 100 dead among the regime forces and ISIS

Violent fighting continues between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities on one hand and ISIS on the other in areas in the vicinity of Deir Ezzor city and its western countryside. Clashes were accompanied by tens of raids, carried out by Russian warplanes and helicopters, targeting Deir Ezzor-Al-Sukhnah road and Brigade 137 surroundings. The SOHR documented during the past 48 hours, since Thursday the 5th of September, the date which marks the regime forces success in opening a passage that leads to Brigade 137 which has been besieged for more than 32 months by ISIS, until today the 7th of September, the death of tens of members of both sides. Specifically, the SOHR documented the death of at least 29 members of the regime forces and their allied militiamen, including 4 officers at least. On the other hand, it documented the death of at least 72 ISIS members, including 16 who blew up themselves using explosive belts and 7 using booby-trapped vehicles. In addition, the intensive shelling, violent fighting and bombings caused the injury of tens of members of both parties, with a varied degree of severity. Thus, the death toll is still likely to rise.

Meanwhile, fighting continues violently in the vicinity of Al-Shola area into which the regime forces advanced in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor. Clashes are taking places there in an attempt by the regime forces to take control of the area after they were forced out by the ISIS. This area along with Palmyra- Al-Sukhnah road are witnessing intensive violent shelling by the regime forces and the Russian warplanes in an attempt by the regime forces to advance under its cover. This comes as part of the regime forces’ attempts to expand their scope of control in the vicinity of this road and to reach Al-Panorama Roundabout at the western entrance of the city in order to secure the entrance of aid and relief trucks into the besieged neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city.