Damascus - Arab Today
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has launched a counter-offensive on Sunday and retained gains after targeting the Islamic State's (ISIS) positions in Deir Ezzor, military sources told Prensa Latina on Monday.
Fierce battles and clashes went on as the ISIS continuously tried to occupy areas in that northern region of Syria. Military officers caution that in the face of the failed attempts, then the terrorists would start launching suicide attacks.
Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria is divided between the militants and the government of Bashar al-Assad. The areas controlled by the government have long been under siege but were sustained by supplies flown in to the nearby military airport and by airdrops from the World Food Programme.
The city has been resisting for over two years the siege by the ISIS which is getting continuous reinforcement from the other side of the Iraqi border, as the US-led international coalition ignores the situation, Syrian military sources complain.
Fighting has been intense in Mohandissen, al-Tharda and Maqaber where terrorists have suffered a heavy toll and a drone operated by them was shot down, the sources added.
The Syrian troops and the allied militia have lost more than 50 fighters, but they still hold to their lines of combat and thwart moves by the terrorists in Boghelia, Ayash, Sheik Assin and Ummal, where the aviation is providing the ground forces with air support.
Syria has denounced that with such a position the coalition helps the terrorist groups cross the Iraqi border easily without being disturbed even though the Western media report about repeated offensives against them.