The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

About 60 persons were killed during the advancement of the regime forces to 15 km from the last city controlled by the “Islamic State” organization in Homs province

Homs Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:: Clashes takes place on the road of Palmyra and Al-Sukhnah in the eastern desert of Homs, between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them from Syrian and non-Syrian against the “Islamic State” organization, in an attempt by the regime forces to advance towards al-Sukhnah city, which is the last stronghold of the organization in Homs province, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the regime forces are trying, through its intense shelling on al-Sukhnah area and its surroundings, to advance and regain control over it, while reliable sources said that al-Sukhnah area has terrain areas, mountains, and hills, and most of the members of the “Islamic State” organization who fight in this area are residents of al-Sukhnah.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented since day before yesterday the 4th of July 2017 at least 22 members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them from Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities who were killed, including 9 members from the Syrian nationality, one of them is a brigadier in the republican guards of the regime, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented at least 35 of the “Islamic State” organization who were killed in heavy aerial and ground bombing, and during the clashes, in which the regime forces managed to reach 15 km from al-Sukhnah city advancing from Palmyra side, while 3 civilians were killed in warplanes bombing on areas in al-Sukhnah city in the eastern countryside of Homs, and the shelling and clashes caused tens of injuries among civilians and members of both parties with different severity.

where the regime forces were able to achieve yesterday an advancement towards Sukhnah city, and the distance of advancement reached about 10 km, where the regime forces by this advancement have become about 15 km away from the strategic city of al-Sukhnah, which is considered as a new gateway for entering Deir Ezzor province the majority of which is controlled by the “Islamic State” organization.

This advancement for the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, was accompanied by advancement in the east of Ark Fields, where these forces were able to turn around several areas in al-Hail oil field, within the continued Russian quest to control oil and gas fields in the Syrian desert, while the clashes were accompanied by intense shelling by the regime forces and warplanes using missiles and shells, which caused confirmed casualties in the ranks of the organization members, also Sukhnah city has witnessed during the past few days heavy shelling started on the 10th of June 2017 a new front of fighting, after their repeated failures in advancing in the eastern desert of Palmyra, and headed with the support of the loyalist gunmen of Syrian and Non-Syrian nationalities and by the support of artillery shelling, rocket and air strikes towards the Palmyra-Sukhnah area, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the advancement of the regime forces during the past days in this area, and the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them started their operation by controlling the hills and heights that would give them the ability to monitor the area, and subdue the “Islamic State” organization’s controlled areas and its locations for the firearms control of the regime forces, and the clashes were accompanied by intensive bombardments on sites of the organization that forced it to withdraw.

The Syrian Observatory also published this advancement towards the Sukhnah city which was controlled by ISIS in the first half of May 2015 comes after series of raids and airstrikes by Russian and regime warplanes and helicopters, and after shelling by the regime forces during the past days and weeks on Sukhnah city, where the first reason for the military operation was the repeated failure of the regime forces to advance towards the city, which is considered as regime forces’ gate to reach the countryside of Deir Ezzor province.

Also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 4th of June 2017 that al-Sukhnah area which is about 60 kilometers northeast of Palmyra city, is witnessing a daily bombardment by the warplanes that target the town and its vicinity, causing damage to the property citizens and injuring people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the daily airstrikes came after regime forces’ fail (who are about 40 km southwest of the city) to achieve a new advancement and reach the town, where the regime forces aim to advance towards it and control it.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also learned that if the regime forces restore Sukhnah town in the eastern countryside of Homs in the coming periods, will allow them to advance towards the administrative borders of the Syrian Desert with Deir Ezzor province, and conduct a military operation in Deir Ezzor province, which is controlled mostly by the “Islamic State” organization, it is referred that Sukhnah town is about 50 km away of the administrative borders of Desert with Deir Ezzor.