SYRIAN ARAB ARMY IS PREPARING TO LAUNCH LARGE-SCALE ADVANCE ON DEIR EZZOR: RUSSIAN MOD

An alleged photo of Suheil al-Hassan, Commander of the Tiger Forces, with Russian miltiary advisers from the area of Palmyra. Source: https://twitter.com/MIG29_/status/860421930607923200

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is preparing to launch an operation from the city of Palmyra to capture the town of Sukhnah, located on the road of Palmyra-Deir Ezzor about 50 km east of Palmyra.

The goal of the operation is to set a foothold for a further advance on the key Syrian city of Deir Ezzor besieged by ISIS terrorists.

On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry also confirmed that government forces, backed up by the Russian Aerospacce Forces, will develop the advance west of Palmyra.

This liberation of the city of Sukhnah can be considered as the first phase of a broader effort aimed at lifting the siege from the SAA forces in the city of Deir Ezzor.

According to reports, large reinforcements from the SAA’s Tiger Forces have moved from the eastern Aleppo countryside and the northern Hama countryside to the area east of Palmyra. The Tiger forces will support Al-Ashaer forces and the 5th Assault Corps stationed in Palmyra in the expected operation.

The Russian Aerospace Forces’ warplanes and attack helicopters will provide an air support to Syrian forces during the operation, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Yesterday, the SAA took control of 4 high points located west of the area of the “Talila Reserve” 18km east of Palmyra. The SAA and Syrian Hezbollah are developing their operation in the eastern Homs countryside against ISIS.

The SAA and its allies will be able to launch the widely expeted advance on Deir Ezzor thanks to the Safe Zones Agreement that should all sides to focus on fighting ISIS.

Separately, the SAA will likely launch a limited operation in the eastern Hama countryside in order to take control of Al-Aqrabat .

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