29/09/2017
DAMASCUS, SYRIA (4:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army and its paramilitary allies have managed to re-secure all points lost to ISIS along the as-Sukhnah to Deir Ez-Zor highway and, in doing so, completely regain control of the vital road once again.
Pro-government forces achieved this result after launching a massive counter-offensive against ISIS early this morning.
To clarify, the Syrian Army has secured the towns of ash-Shoulah and Kabajib along the highway and restored the boundaries of territorial control between it and ISIS throughout the region to what it was two days ago.
More details to follow soon.
Elite Syrian Army units head to west Deir Ezzor to drive back ISIS
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:50 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) elite forces departed from the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate to western Deir Ezzor after suffering several setbacks to the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) terror organization.
According to a military report, units from the Tiger Forces departed from Qomhana in northern Hama to the Homs Governorate city of Al-Sukhnah late Thursday afternoon.
The reinforcements from the Tiger Forces will be tasked with retaking the town of Al-Shoulah and its surrounding points, which were seized by the Islamic State during their large-scale attack on Thursday morning.
BREAKING: Syrian Army counteroffensive in west Deir Ezzor grinds ISIS into dust
29/09/2017
Al-Shoulah is strategically located along the Deir Ezzor-Sukhnah Highway and directly west of the provincial capital; its liberation is currently a top priority for the army.
BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:27 P.M.) – Following a surprise offensive yesterday afternoon by ISIS along the various parts of the M20 highway, the terrorist group has since been beaten back hard at the hands of re-organized and reinforced Syrian Arab Army forces who are now in the midst of a counteroffensive.
Early this morning, the Syrian Arab Army – backed up by heavy Russian airstrikes – commenced a powerful counteroffensive along broad front stretching from the small city of as-Sukhnah (east Homs region) in the west to the town of ash-Shoula in the east.
Most of the hilltops and points initially captured by ISIS around as-Sukhnah and the M20 highway have been re-secured by the Syrian Army and now forces of the terrorist group find themselves pinned down in ash-Shoula were a high-pitched battle within and around the town is currently taking place.
Despite claims from opposition sources that as-Sukhnah and the town of Kabbajeb were captured by Islamic State militants, the fact remains that ISIS never took full control of the settlements (coming nowhere close to doing so in the case of as-Sukhnah) and that the Syrian Army currently holds onto both.
Military sources exclusive to Al-Masdar News confirm claims that over 30 ISIS militants have so far been killed in the course of the Syrian Army’s counteroffensive.
Graphic pictures: ISIS corpses litter east Homs amid Syrian Army counteroffensive
Within hours of their counteroffensive, Syrian Army forces recaptured most of the hilltops and points they initially surrendered to ISIS yesterday, killing dozens of jihadist fighters in the process.
ISIS also launched an assault on the T-3 military airport. Initially, the Syrian Army retreated from the site, however, within an hour it counterattacked, reclaiming the airbase and pushing Islamic State insurgents back to their starting points further east. Heavy clashes in the area are ongoing.
The pictures shown below have been taken from two main battlegrounds, these being south of as-Sukhnah and near the T-3 military airport.
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
Andrew Illingworth | AMN
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