Syrian army breaks siege of Deir-ez-Zor, creating ‘strategic disaster’ for Islamic State
Government forces and tens of thousands of civilians in the city have been trapped under IS siege for more than two years, facing food and medical shortages
Syria’s army broke a years-long Islamic State (IS) siege on the government enclave of Deir-ez-Zor city on Tuesday as it battled to expel the jihadists from a key stronghold.
The jihadist group has already lost more than half its nearby bastion of Raqqa to US-backed forces, and the loss of Deir-ez-Zor city and the surrounding oil-rich province of the same name would leave it with only a handful of isolated outposts.
Syria’s army and allied fighters, backed by Russian air support, have been advancing towards Deir-ez-Zor on several fronts in recent weeks, and on Tuesday arrived inside the Brigade 137 base on its western edge.
“This great achievement is a strategic shift in the war on terror and confirms the ability of the Syrian Arab Army and its allies,” the army command said.
This great achievement is a strategic shift in the war on terror and confirms the ability of the Syrian Arab Army and its allies
A local journalist said a minesweeper moved ahead of troops as they arrived at the base. As they reached the soldiers who have been besieged inside the base and adjacent parts of the city, the troops embraced and shouted patriotic slogans.