ISIS Suffers Disastrous Defeat in Deir Ezzor: Over 150 Terrorists Killed in 24 Hours

BY LEITH FADEL
www.almasdarnews.com

On Monday morning, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) launched a full-scale assault on the provincial capital of the Deir Ezzor Governorate, attacking the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses at the Military Airport; the Al-Sina’a, Al-Haweeqa, and Al-‘Amal Districts; and the village of Al-Muri’iyah.

Unfortunately for the terrorist group, they were severely outmatched by the soldiers from the 137th Artillery Brigade of the 17th Reserve Division and the 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard.

Upon their initial assault at the Deir Ezzor Military Airport, ISIS sent two waves of fighters towards the contested army base (southern perimeter of the airport); however, the charging terrorists were overwhelmed by the fierce resistance from the Syrian Arab Army and the relentless aerial assault by the Russian Air Force.

The terrorist group’s frontlines were fractured by the Syrian Armed Forces and Russian Air Force; this resulted in the death of over 55 enemy combatants from ISIS, including their Tunisian field commander.

Meanwhile, at the Al-‘Amal (Workers) and Al-Sina’a (Industrial) Districts of Deir Ezzor City, ISIS made the mistake of attempting to push into these well-fortified areas; this attack was repelled by the Syrian Armed Forces, who reportedly killed 32 enemy combatants from the terrorist group before they made an eastbound retreat.

Perhaps the most impressive victory for the Syrian Armed Forces came at the contested district of Al-Haweeqa, where they were originally attacked by a large contingent of ISIS fighters at the northern flank.

ISIS stormed the Syrian Armed Forces’ defenses at the northern flank of Al-Haweeqa; however, once again, they found themselves under attack by the Russian Air Force, who relentlessly bombarded their reserve units, leaving over 20 terrorist dead in the process.

With ISIS’ frontlines crumbling, the Syrian Army’s 137th Brigade took advantage of this, capturing a half dozen building blocks and unearthing a 150 meter tunnel that belonged to the terrorist group inside the Al-Haweeqa District.

Undeterred by their high death toll and failed infiltration attempts, ISIS launched one last assault at the imperative village of Al-Muri’iyah, where they foolishly stormed the Syrian Armed Forces’ defenses in an open field; this resulted in the death of almost 40 terrorists.

According to a military source from the 104th Airborne Brigade, ISIS’ offensive was a disaster and ill-prepared for something of this magnitude in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

Furthermore, the Russian Air Force played an integral role in this defeat, as they relentlessly pounded the terrorist group with numerous airstrikes.