The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

After one month of entering Homs province coming from al-Raqqa… The regime forces go deep into the province through ground advancement and airdrop to an area of 15 km inside the northeastern administrative borders of Homs

About 35 km separate the regime forces from imposing full siege on thousands of kilometers controlled by the organization in the provinces of Homs and Hama

The far desert of Homs has been witnessing, since hours, violent clashes between the regime forces backed by militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, against the “Islamic State” organization. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the regime forces managed to go deep into the administrative borders of the northeastern countryside of Homs, coming from the southern countryside of al-Raqqa, where the regime forces go deep into a distance of about 15 km and managed to control the villages of Al-Kadeer, Kharbet Makman and nearby wells near Wahet Al-Koum area which is still controlled by the “Islamic State” organization. The regime forces entered the administrative border of Homs coming from al-Raqqa for the first time since the 14th of July 2017, where they managed to control oil wells and fields in the far northeast of Homs.

This advancement, which was achieved by the regime forces through their attack from their positions at the triangle area of al-Raqqa – Homs – Deir Ezzor administrative border, allowed the regime forces to reduce the remaining distance in the countryside of Homs between their forces advancing from al-Raqqa – Deir Ezzor administrative border area and their  forces stationed in the city of al-Sokhna, which also are trying to achieve significant advancement and control more areas, so that the distance between both forces of the regime is about 35 km, and if the regime forces managed to advance in the area and control this remaining area and their forces managed  to meet each other, the “Islamic State” organization will be besieged in thousands of kilometers extending from this advancement line to the south of Athriya road passing through oil fields and wells, the eastern countryside of Hama to al-Shumaria Mountains area in the northeastern countryside of Homs, and the countryside of Jub al-Jerah which is about 50 km from the city of Homs, and the clashes and an exchange of shelling caused human losses in the ranks of both parties including a military commander of a group of Tiger Forces led by Brigadier of the regime forces Suhail al-Hassan.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published today that the forces of the regime supported by gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities ended the operation of sweeping the city of Al-Sukhnah in the eastern desert of Homs, where they disassembled and exploded hundreds of mines and explosive devices planted by the “Islamic State” organization in the city which was controlled by the forces of the regime at night of the 5th of August 2017, and the explosion of a number of these mines resulted in the killing of 16 members at least of the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them, which disassembled the mines planted in the city, while the regime’s warplanes as well as the Russian warplanes continued their shelling by missiles, bombs and shells on areas in the desert of Al-Sukhnah, in a preparation for achieving more advancement by the regime forces in its desert, after securing the vicinity of the city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on Thursday the 10th of August that the regime forces and their allied militiamen are still combing the city of al-Sukhnah, which they have controlled 5 days ago, in order to allow the journalists and TV stations in the city, which the organization has been controlling since May 2015 until the regime controlled it 5 days ago. The death toll of members of the regime forces and their allied militiamen in the eastern countryside of Homs within the last 24 hours of attacks included at least 16 members of them, who were killed in explosions of mines during demining operations in al-Sukhnah city, and the SOHR that the death toll of the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, rose to  48 at least, including 5 officers and a militiaman who was executed. They were killed during the past 24 hours as a result of explosions of landmines, booby trap bombs planted by ISIS in vehicles in the eastern countryside of Homs. The SOHR also documented at least 35 ISIS members, including 5 suicide bombers. In addition, tens of ISIS members and the regime forces were injured in these operations.

It is worth mentioning that the regime forces managed on Saturday, the 5th of August, to make an important and strategic advancement in the Syrian dessert. The regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, managed to take control of Al-Sukhnah city, which was considered the last city under the control of ISIS there. The city fell under their control after intensive and violent artillery and rocket shelling by them and intensive shelling by the Russian and the regime’s warplanes on the city. Reliable sources confirmed to the SOHR that the regime forces continue inspecting the city looking for any hideouts or any ISIS members in the city which fell under their fire 11 days ago but could not impose their military control over the city on the ground because of tens of ISIS members who still hinder their way as they refuse to surrender or withdraw from the city, despite the mediation of the city and area elders, and insist on continuing to fight till the end. The SOHR also learned that the remaining ISIS members withdrew from the city. The SOHR also documented the death of at least 30 ISIS members during the regime’s advancement operation since the 5th of August, 2017 in addition to the injury of others. The SOHR had also published at the end of July 2017 that the tens of ISIS members remaining in the city continued to refuse withdrawing from Al-Sukhnah city which had been experiencing intensive aerial bombardments by the Russian and the regime’s warplanes targeting the outskirts of the city. Reliable sources confirmed then to the SOHR that most of the remaining ISIS members were from the people of Al-Sukhnah and chose to fight till the end.