Heavy clashes between Syrian Army and ISIS over Deir Ezzor

AhlulBayt News Agency - For the past 48 hours, heavy clashes have taken place in the provincial capital of Deir Ezzor as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and ISIS are fighting for control of the city.

Monday night, Russian airstrikes targeted ISIS miliants at Saqr Island (Huwyjah Saqr) and al-Miri’yah village – these sites are located near Deir Ezzor Airbase and have been used repeatedly by the so-called Islamic State militants to attack the city’s airfield.

Meanwhile, ISIS militants have once again infiltrated the al-Sina’ah district and Industrial Centre as their fighters are making a push towards the Tahtuh neighbourhood.

However, a military source reported that the SAA has demolished an entire building which housed ISIS fighters in the embattled al-Sina’ah district.

Yesterday afternoon, Syrian jets raided the al-Sina’ah district several times while airstrikes have also struck the nearby al-Ummal neighbourhood (Workers’ district 1).

Simultaneously, two ISIS mortar launchers were destroyed in the al-Ummal neighbourhood although it was unclear if their destruction was due to airstrikes or clashes with the SAA.

Remarkably, the SAA also managed to destroy an ISIS MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) vehicle at Jafra village which had been used to shell government-held districts for weeks.

In total, an estimated 30 ISIS fighters were killed by the Syrian Armed Forces in the past 48 hours, with 11 of the corpses were retrieved from the al-Sina’ah district yesterday.

Deir Ezzor is now witnessing arguably the fiercest clashes since the inception of the conflict while skirmishes continue as we speak.

ISIS seems keen to capture Deir Ezzor as it lies at the very center of the self-proclaimed Islamic State caliphate and keeps much of its fighting force held up around the city.

A map of the frontline in Deir Ezzor can be viewed here.



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