Military escalation in Syrian desert | Violent battles continue between regime forces and ISIS, while Russian jets execute over 40 airstrikes
Fierce battles are still underway between regime forces and proxy militias on one hand, and ISIS members on the other, as SOHR sources have reported that violent clashes erupted this morning in Jabal Al-Bishri area and near Aleppo-Hama-Al-Raqqah triangle.
These clashes come as a part of regime forces’ attempts to put an end to activities by ISIS which have stepped up its operations with the aim to deplete regime forces in the region.
On the other hand, Russian fighter jets have executed nearly 40 airstrikes on ISIS positions throughout the Syrian desert since last night.
Yesterday, Observatory activists monitored a squadron of Russian fighter jets flying over the Syrian desert since the early hours of Sunday morning, along with executing intensive strikes on ISIS positions in Aleppo-Hama-Al-Raqqah triangle. The Russian airstrikes coincide with fierce clashes and exchange of shelling in the same region between ISIS members on one hand, and regime forces and their proxy militias on the other. It is worth noting that the Russian jets carried out over 70 airstrikes on the Syrian desert in the previous 24 hours.
Meanwhile, SOHR activists documented new human losses in the intensive bombardment and violent clashes in 24 hours, as seven regime soldiers and loyalists were killed, while ISIS lost 15 members. The death toll is expected to rise further as there are several combatants injured, some seriously. There are also unconfirmed reports of more casualties.
Since the 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the killing of at least 1,066 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least two Russians, and 144 Iranian-backed militiamen of non-Syrian nationalities. All were killed in attacks, bombings, and ambushes by the “Islamic State”, west of Euphrates in the deserts of Deir Ezzor, Homs, and Al-Suwaidaa.
Also, four civilians working in gas fields, 11 shepherds, and four other people were killed and documented by SOHR in the same period, from late March 2019 until today. They were killed in attacks by ISIS cells. While 601 ISIS members were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.