Continuous violent clashes west of Euphrates River and southwest of Bokamal by the regime forces supported by their loyal gunmen and with cover by the intense bombardment
Deir Ezzor Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the violent clashes are still taking place between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against members of the “Islamic State” organization, in areas in the southwestern desert of Bokamal and the western countryside of Bokamal, in a continuation of the military operation by the regime forces which aim to control the largest remaining stronghold of the “Islamic State” organization in Syria, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the violent clashes are still taking place between both parties in areas in the southwestern desert of Bokamal, where the “Islamic State” organization continued to carry out counterattacks targeting the regime forces’ sites, who managed to reach a distance of about 15 kilometers southwest of al-Bokamal area.
These violent clashes and counterattacks by the “Islamic State” organization in this area; come in conjunction with violent clashes between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against members of the “Islamic State” organization at the western banks of the Euphrates River, in the western countryside of al-Bokamal in the eastern part of the province, after a violent attack by the regime forces on the al-Quriyah Desert, in an attempt to re-take control of the town which the regime forces lost in the 28th of October 2017, after a counterattack by the organization on the area.
These violent clashes on both fronts came in the framework of violent clashes through which the regime forces seek to reach the largest remaining stronghold of the “Islamic State” organization, and the shelling was accompanied by tens of raids that targeted areas in al-Qariya town and Bokamal Desert, and this morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of more members of the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them, in which the number of the casualties of the regime forces backed by armed militiamen loyal to them of Syrian, Arab and Asian nationalities, has increased to 24 casualties, of who were killed during less than 36 hours of the clashes in Al-Bokamal and Bakrus deserts, and the shelling, the fighting and the explosions resulted in the fall of a great number of injuries, some of them have seriously wounded, while memebers of the organization were also killed in the same clashes.
And the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 5th of November 2017, that al-Bokamal city and other areas in its countryside and desert are witnessing bombing by helicopters believed to be Russian and other unidentified warplanes that entered the Syrian-Iraqi border from the eastern side, and these warplanes heavily targeted areas in Bokamal city, its desert and countryside, which is the largest remaining stronghold of the “Islamic State” organization in the Syrian territory, and these intense airstrikes come after the regime forces were able to get closer to L-Bokamal city, where the regime forces and militiamen loyal of Syrian, Arab and Asian nationalities are now less than 15 km away of Bokamal city, the Syrian Observatory also published that the southern desert of Al-Bukamal witness violent clashes, through which the regime forces seek to advance more towards Al-Bukamal city and control the city, which is the largest bastion of ISIS in Syria. The SOHR learned that the violent clashes are taking place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen of Syrian, Arab and Asian nationalities against members of ISIS of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, where the regime forces managed to advance in the area of T2 station and became less than 15 km away from Al-Bukamal city, after controlling Okash field, while the area is witnessing heavy shelling by the regime forces and aerial bombardment by warplanes and helicopters affiliated to the regime and Russia, on areas controlled by ISIS, amid an exchange of shelling between both parties in areas in the southwestern desert of Al-Bukamal, amid more killing of members of both parties in these battles, and The SOHR learned from several reliable sources that a group of the Popular Mobilization Forces has entered the Syrian territory and began to operate under the umbrella of Al-Nujaba’ Iraqi Movement, which has been fighting along the regime forces in many fronts in the Syrian desert and other areas.