TENSIONS BETWEEN ISIS AND LOCAL TRIBES GROW AS GOVERNMENT FORCES APPROACHING DEIR EZZOR

04.08.2017

ISIS has seized all the funds and property of Al-Zawad Tribe in the city of Al Bukamal and its countryside in the province of Deir Ezzor, according to local sources.

ISIS has also arrested 17 members of Al-Zawad Tribe and accused the tribe of killing a number of ISIS fighters in the desert of Al Bukamal.

Clashes reportedly erupted in the vicinity of the city two days ago during which the tribe’s members killed a number of ISIS fighters. The reason behind tensions is still unknown.

Yesterday, ISIS closed all Internet cafes in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor. ISIS fears that some civilians may be cooperating with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) that’s approaching the city.

Local sources claimed that ISIS forced at least 30 youths from the town of Qouriya in Deir Ezzor to join its ranks.

On August 2 ISIS announced the start of forceful recruitment for all men between 20 and 30 years old in the province of Deir Ezzor.

According to pro-government sources, ISIS is using civilians in the southeastern Raqqa countryside and the northwestern Deir Ezzor countryside as human shields against the advancing government forces.

Hundreds of civilians, including women and children, are trapped between Maadan and Tabani towns where ISIS fighters are shooting any civilian trying to reach SAA positions or to cross the Euphrates River into areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

ISIS allows only a small number of civilians to escape to its areas in the southern countryside of Deir Ezzor, which is the heartland of the terrorist group.

SYRIAN ARMY ADVANCING SOUTH OF DEIR EZZOR, DEPLOYS REINFORCEMENTS IN CITY (PHOTOS)

04.08.2017 –

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According to the Hezbollah media wing in Syria, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has captured an area of 1 sq km southeast of the cemetery area in the city of Deir Ezzor. With this advance, the SAA cut off one of the most important ISIS supply lines connecting the terrorist group’s positions in the Al-Thardah mountain and its positions in the Sariat Junaid area.

Meawnhile, ISIS fighters attacked an SAA position in Resafa district. Furthermore, three civilians lost their life and 13 others were wounded as a result of ISIS shelling on the areas controlled by the SAA in Deir Ezzor city.

Russian and Syrian Air Force warplanes carried out airstrikes on ISIS positions in the villages of Al-Tibni, Sheha and Al-Buwitiah and in the salt mine in the northwestern Deir Ezzor countryside. Syrian and Russian warplanes also bombed several ISIS positions inside and around Deir Ezzor city and around the Deir Ezzor airport.

The SAA continues sending reinforcements to Deir Ezzor in order to strengthen its poisitions in the area and to foil possible ISIS attacks while the SAA garrison is waiting for the Tiger Forces and their allies pushing to lift the ISIS siege from the city.

SAA reinforcements:

Meanwhile, tnsions between civilians and ISIS fighters have reportedly increased in the province of Deir Ezzor as a result of repeated the ISIS defeats in Raqqa and Homs.

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