BEIRUT, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Syria's army and its allies raced towards their enclave in the Euphrates city of Deir al-Zor after a rapid advance on Sunday, seeking to relieve it after years of Islamic State siege as jihadist defences suddenly collapsed.

Deir al-Zor's provincial governor, Mohammed Ibrahim Samra, told Reuters in a phone interview that he expected the army to arrive at the city within hours and that some people there had taken to the streets to demonstrate their happiness.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has focused this year on the campaign in Syria's desert, striking eastwards in a multi-pronged assault to restore Deir al-Zor, where Islamic State has held half the city and all the land around since 2014.

Sunday's advance brought the army and its allies to about 10 km (6 miles) from the city, said the military media unit run by the army's ally, Lebanon's Hezbollah group. On Friday, it reported the army was still 30 km (19 miles) away after capturing Jebel al-Bashri.

A war monitor, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the army had advanced even farther, reaching the border of the besieged garrison's army camp on the western edge of Deir al-Zor.

Intense fighting is taking place as the army attempts to break through Islamic State lines to join up with the besieged garrison, the Observatory reported.

It is a sign of the rapidly changing fortunes in Syria's civil war, as Assad, aided by Russian air strikes and Iran-backed Shi'ite militias including Hezbollah, has won a series of battlefield victories.

Islamic State, which took advantage of chaos caused by the civil war to seize swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, is retreating in both countries and falling back on its Euphrates valley strongholds on either side of Deir al-Zor.

The United Nations says there are about 93,000 people in the besieged, government-controlled enclave, which includes much of the city, the Brigade 137 military camp and the airport.

For years, Deir al-Zor has been supplied only by air, and the United Nations said last month it had carried out about 300 high-altitude air drops of food over the past year alone.

Syrian state television reported that Islamic State was in a state of collapse in the face of the army's progress. A Syrian military source said on Saturday the army had also advanced eastwards from Sukhna, on the main road between Damascus and Deir al-Zor, along a parallel route of attack.

Pro-government forces are also fighting to eradicate a large Islamic State enclave they left to their rear in central Syria as they advanced towards Deir al-Zor.</s>BEIRUT, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Syria's army and its allies advanced towards their enclave in Deir al-Zor, besieged by Islamic State forces, on Sunday, taking al-Kharata oil field, a war monitor reported.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has focused this year on the campaign in Syria's desert, striking eastwards in a multi-pronged assault against Islamic State to restore Deir al-Zor, where the government pocket has been surrounded for years.

Sunday's advance brings the army and its allies to about 10km (7 miles) from the city, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Saturday, a military media unit run by Assad's ally Hezbollah reported that the army had captured Jebel al-Bashri to the west of Deir al-Zor, meaning it was less than 30 km from the city.

A Syrian military source said on Saturday the army had also advanced eastwards from Sukhna, on the main road between Damascus and Deir al-Zor, along a parallel route of attack.

Pro-government forces are also fighting to eradicate a large Islamic State enclave they left to their rear in central Syria as they advanced towards Deir al-Zor. (Reporting By Angus McDowall)</s>BEIRUT: Syria's army and its allies advanced towards their enclave in Deir al-Zor, besieged by Islamic State forces, on Sunday, taking al-Kharata oil field, a war monitor reported.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has focussed this year on the campaign in Syria's desert, striking eastwards in a multi-pronged assault against Islamic State to restore Deir al-Zor, where the government pocket has been surrounded for years.

Sunday's advance brings the army and its allies to about 10km (7 miles) from the city, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Saturday, a military media unit run by Assad's ally Hezbollah reported that the army had captured Jebel al-Bashri to the west of Deir al-Zor, meaning it was less than 30 km from the city.

A Syrian military source said on Saturday the army had also advanced eastwards from Sukhna, on the main road between Damascus and Deir al-Zor, along a parallel route of attack.

Pro-government forces are also fighting to eradicate a large Islamic State enclave they left to their rear in central Syria as they advanced towards Deir al-Zor.</s>BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:25 P.M.) – At approximately 12:30 P.M. (Damascus Time), the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) took full control of the strategic town of Kabawjib in the western countryside of the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

Led by elements of the 17th Division and 5th Corps, the Syrian Arab Army attacked Kabawjib’s western perimeter after advancing eastward along the Sukhnah-Deir Ezzor Highway.

Unable to hold their positions inside Kabawjib, the Islamic State was forced to withdraw from the town in order to avoid being overrun by the swarming forces of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

Kabawjib was one of the most important supply hubs for the Islamic State in eastern Syria; its loss will likely result in the complete collapse of their western pocket in the Deir Ezzor Governorate.</s>Syrian troops are now at the gates of the Islamic State-besieged city of Deir ez-Zor, the governor of the province said, as the government forces continue to press forward, obliterating terrorist positions in the vicinity and on the outskirts of the city.the governor of Syria's Deir ez-Zor province, Mohammed Ibrahim Samra, told Reuters, adding that the Syrian Army was only 18-20 kilometers (11-12 miles) away from the city.Earlier, an elite unit of the Syrian Army, called the Tiger Forces, came within 18 kilometers (11 miles) of the besieged city after destroying IS (Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorist positions on the Bishri mountain chain, Al-Masdar News reported Despite massive redeployment of fighters and military hardware by the Islamic State terrorists from other parts of Iraq and Syria to Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Army, with the help of the Russian Air Force, has been advancing toward the city on several fronts.The key Euphrates city of Deir ez-Zor has been under terrorist siege for two and a half years, after being cut off from government-held areas in May 2015 during the jihadists' offensive on Palmyra. The surrounded city, alongside a neighboring military base and airfield, have since been supplied with food and ammunition via airdrops by Russian and Syrian transport planes and helicopters.On Sunday, the Syrian Army attacked IS barricades on the southwestern outskirts of the city, Sana news agency reported, killing several terrorists and seizing their weapons and ammunition."We carried out at dawn a successful raid against one of ISIS terrorists' barricades in the direction of the Water Resources area through crawling and infiltrating it and throwing several bombs when we almost approached the area, killing all the terrorists at the site," one of the soldiers told Sana.The Syrian Army units have also expanded control in al-Badia, "eliminating the last gatherings of the organization in Hreibsha area that is located in the southwest of Deir Ezzor province."The Russian Defense Ministry has previously stated that breaking the blockade of Deir ez-Zor will mark the defeat of the last capable grouping of IS terrorists in Syria."ISIL militants are still attempting to stop the advancement of the Syrian troops by relocating to the Deir ez-Zor region armor, pick-up trucks with high-caliber machine guns mounted on them, weapons and ammunition. They are creating fortifications with positions for artillery and mortars," the Russian Defense Ministry reported Saturday.In response, the Russian forces in Syria intensified airstrikes on the jihadists, destroying their armored vehicles, tanks, artillery positions and supply depots.On Saturday, the Russian Air Force also backed the swift actions of the army and its allies who have liberated the town of Akerbat - considered to be the last major terrorist stronghold in Hama province and central Syria.Lifting the Deir ez-Zor blockade will "provide Syrian armed forces and their allies with a really stable foothold in this part of northeast Syria," geopolitical analyst Patrick Henningsen told RT.The UN's special envoy for Syria, Steffan de Mistura, also expects all major IS positions in Syria to fall by the end of October."What we are seeing is in my opinion the beginning of the end of this war... what we need to make sure is that this becomes also the beginning of peace," de Mistura said on Friday. "And that is where the challenge starts at this very moment."Encouraged by reports that the lifting of the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) blockade of Deir ez-Zor was days away, defenders of the city celebrated the news on Sunday night, as footage from inside the city shows.The video was reportedly shot in the Jura district of the city, which has been besieged by the Islamic State terrorist group since 2014.Syrian government forces are advancing from several directions to break the blockade of the provincial capital, with the Russian Air Force supporting the offensive from the air.</s>Syria's army and its allies raced towards their enclave in the Euphrates city of Deir al-Zor after a rapid advance on Sunday, seeking to relieve it after years of Islamic State siege as jihadist defences suddenly collapsed.

BEIRUT: Syria's army and its allies raced towards their enclave in the Euphrates city of Deir al-Zor after a rapid advance on Sunday, seeking to relieve it after years of Islamic State siege as jihadist defences suddenly collapsed.

Deir al-Zor's provincial governor, Mohammed Ibrahim Samra, told Reuters in a phone interview that he expected the army to arrive at the city within hours and that some people there had taken to the streets to demonstrate their happiness.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has focused this year on the campaign in Syria's desert, striking eastwards in a multi-pronged assault to restore Deir al-Zor, where Islamic State has held half the city and all the land around since 2014.

Sunday's advance brought the army and its allies to about 10 km (6 miles) from the city, said the military media unit run by the army's ally, Lebanon's Hezbollah group. On Friday, it reported the army was still 30 km (19 miles) away after capturing Jebel al-Bashri.

A war monitor, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the army had advanced even farther, reaching the border of the besieged garrison's army camp on the western edge of Deir al-Zor.

Intense fighting is taking place as the army attempts to break through Islamic State lines to join up with the besieged garrison, the Observatory reported.

It is a sign of the rapidly changing fortunes in Syria's civil war, as Assad, aided by Russian air strikes and Iran-backed Shi'ite militias including Hezbollah, has won a series of battlefield victories.

Islamic State, which took advantage of chaos caused by the civil war to seize swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, is retreating in both countries and falling back on its Euphrates valley strongholds on either side of Deir al-Zor.

The United Nations says there are about 93,000 people in the besieged, government-controlled enclave, which includes much of the city, the Brigade 137 military camp and the airport.

For years, Deir al-Zor has been supplied only by air, and the United Nations said last month it had carried out about 300 high-altitude air drops of food over the past year alone.

Syrian state television reported that Islamic State was in a state of collapse in the face of the army's progress. A Syrian military source said on Saturday the army had also advanced eastwards from Sukhna, on the main road between Damascus and Deir al-Zor, along a parallel route of attack.

Pro-government forces are also fighting to eradicate a large Islamic State enclave they left to their rear in central Syria as they advanced towards Deir al-Zor.</s>The Syrian army battled ISIL on the edges of Deir Ezzor Monday, seeking to break the siege of a government enclave and oust the extremists from a key stronghold.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Syrian army is advancing toward the besieged city of Deir Ezzor with the assistance of the Russian aviation.

The Syrian government forces have driven ISIL terrorists out of strategic positions on the Palmyra-Deir Ezzor highway, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

“Syrian army’s units conducting the offensive from the direction of as-Sukhnah [city in the Raqqa province], have driven ISIL terrorists out from positions they had controlled on the highway from Palmyra to Deir Ezzor.”

The ministry added that the Syrian Armed Force’s group conducting the operation to free Deir Ezzor has advanced 8 kilometers over the past 24 hours and captured 2 strategic heights in the region.

“Two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, over 10 off-road vehicles equipped with heavy arms have been destroyed as a result of the [Russian] airstrikes. Terrorists lost a total of 70 fighters who were killed or injured,” the Russian ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the victory over ISIL terrorists in Deir Ezzor and the lifting of the city’s siege “will become the strategic loss of the international terrorist group in the Syrian Arab Republic.”

Provincial governor Mohamed Ibrahim Samra, quoted by state news agency SANA, said besieged residents were already celebrating as the army neared.

“Yesterday Deir Ezzor city saw celebrations and rejoicing among all segments of society ahead of the expected victory with the advance of the Syrian Arab Army to the outskirts of the besieged city,” he said.

Government forces have lifted a 3-years long ISIS siege from the city of Deir Ezzor, according to pro-government sources.

Last weekend, government forces, led by the SAA Tiger Forces and supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, recaptured a large area including Bir Ghabaghib and al-Shula villages. On Monday, government troops reportedly reached the 137 Regiment area in western Deir Ezzor and met with Republican Guard units there.

If it’s confirmed, the next SAA goal will be to establish a full control over the Sukhna-Deir Ezzor highway and to liberate the entire city.

ISIS responded to the SAA advance with launching multiple attacks against government forces positions inside the city. Separately, the terrorist group deployed large reinforcements to al-Mayadeen preparing for a large attack in the Deir Ezzor area.

The only ISIS chance to counter the SAA advance is to bring off a successful battle using prepared fortifications inside and around Deir Ezzor and to conduct multiple raids against SAA supply lines using car bombs and technicals.

In other cases, ISIS days in Deir Ezzor city are numbered.

In eastern Hama, the SAA and its allies liberated the key town of Uqayribat and some nearby points after a series of intense clashes with ISIS terrorists. Now, government forces are working to clear the entire pocket.

The Syrian military has deployed at least one Russian TOS-1 heavy flamethrower system in order to strengthen the defense of Aleppo city.

The military is actively preparing for possible attacks of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) and its allies from the so-called moderate opposition.

The SAA is now deeply involved in a large-scale anti-ISIS operation in Deir Ezzor province. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham may use this for launching an attack against government forces at some front in the province of Aleppo or Hama.

Several hours ago, reports came in that the strategic crossroad town of Ash-Shula was liberated, bringing vanguard SAA units advancing along the M20 highway to within 25 kilometers of the Panorama area.

Despite numerous reports that Ash-Shula was secured yesterday, this was actually not the case as the Tiger Forces troops who advanced on it decided to set up positions on the northern outskirts of the town and not enter into it.

Whilst it is currently unconfirmed which Syrian Army unit liberated Ash-Shula, with the possibilities being either the Tiger Forces of the 5th Assault Corps, it is most likely the case that it was the former (Tiger Forces) who in fact secured the town since they were the closest to it following yesterday’s advances.

ISIS RUN AWAY FROM 4 MORE VILLAGES IN EASTERN HAMA COUNTRYSIDE (SYRIA MAP)

On Monday, ISIS terrorists retreated from 4 more villages in the eastern Hama countryside under the pressure of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). As a result of this, government troops Mas’oud, Tawbiyah, Marami and Um Ramal and secured these areas.

Last weekend, the SAA liberated the town of Uqayribat from ISIS and the terrorist group’s defense collapsed in eastern Hama.

Filed under: AngloZionist Empire, Axis of Resistance, Hama, Hezbollah, ISIL, Russia, Syrian Army, War on Syria | Tagged: Deir Ezzor |</s>Syrian troops are now at the gates of the Islamic State-besieged city of Deir ez-Zor, the governor of the province said, as the government forces continue to press forward, obliterating terrorist positions in the vicinity and on the outskirts of the city.

“The heroes of the army will arrive at Deir ez-Zor in 24-48 hours at the most,” the governor of Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province, Mohammed Ibrahim Samra, told Reuters, adding that the Syrian Army was only 18-20 kilometers (11-12 miles) away from the city.

Earlier, an elite unit of the Syrian Army, called the Tiger Forces, came within 18 kilometers (11 miles) of the besieged city after destroying IS (Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorist positions on the Bishri mountain chain, Al-Masdar News reported.

Despite massive redeployment of fighters and military hardware by the Islamic State terrorists from other parts of Iraq and Syria to Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Army, with the help of the Russian Air Force, has been advancing toward the city on several fronts.

The key Euphrates city of Deir ez-Zor has been under terrorist siege for two and a half years, after being cut off from government-held areas in May 2015 during the jihadists’ offensive on Palmyra. The surrounded city, alongside a neighboring military base and airfield, have since been supplied with food and ammunition via airdrops by Russian and Syrian transport planes and helicopters.

On Sunday, the Syrian Army attacked IS barricades on the southwestern outskirts of the city, Sana news agency reported, killing several terrorists and seizing their weapons and ammunition.

“We carried out at dawn a successful raid against one of ISIS terrorists’ barricades in the direction of the Water Resources area through crawling and infiltrating it and throwing several bombs when we almost approached the area, killing all the terrorists at the site,” one of the soldiers told Sana.

The Syrian Army units have also expanded control in al-Badia, “eliminating the last gatherings of the organization in Hreibsha area that is located in the southwest of Deir Ezzor province.” According to Sana news agency, many terrorists have fled as the army is also advancing east of al-Sukhneh toward Deir ez-Zor.

READ MORE: ISIS terrorists pulling strongest units to Deir ez-Zor for last stand – Russian MoD

The Russian Defense Ministry has previously stated that breaking the blockade of Deir ez-Zor will mark the defeat of the last capable grouping of IS terrorists in Syria.

“ISIL militants are still attempting to stop the advancement of the Syrian troops by relocating to the Deir ez-Zor region armor, pick-up trucks with high-caliber machine guns mounted on them, weapons and ammunition. They are creating fortifications with positions for artillery and mortars,” the Russian Defense Ministry reported Saturday.

In response, the Russian forces in Syria intensified airstrikes on the jihadists, destroying their armored vehicles, tanks, artillery positions and supply depots.

“Defeating ISIL in the Deir ez-Zor region and lifting the blockade of the city will signify a strategic defeat of the international terrorist group in Syria,” the ministry said.

On Saturday, the Russian Air Force also backed the swift actions of the army and its allies who have liberated the town of Akerbat – considered to be the last major terrorist stronghold in Hama province and central Syria.

Lifting the Deir ez-Zor blockade will “provide Syrian armed forces and their allies with a really stable foothold in this part of northeast Syria,” geopolitical analyst Patrick Henningsen told RT.

“Strategically, you can’t say enough about how important this effort is right now,” he added. “Having a strategic partner like Russia with a viable air force, being able to coordinate targeting intelligence, being able to mount counter-insurgency efforts on the ground with air support, is incredible.”

The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Steffan de Mistura, also expects all major IS positions in Syria to fall by the end of October.

“What we are seeing is in my opinion the beginning of the end of this war… what we need to make sure is that this becomes also the beginning of peace,” de Mistura said on Friday. “And that is where the challenge starts at this very moment.”</s>Syrian troops are now at the gates of the Islamic State-besieged city of Deir ez-Zor, the governor of the province said, as the government forces continue to press forward, obliterating terrorist positions in the vicinity and on the outskirts of the city.

“The heroes of the army will arrive at Deir ez-Zor in 24-48 hours at the most,” the governor of Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province, Mohammed Ibrahim Samra, told Reuters, adding that the Syrian Army was only 18-20 kilometers (11-12 miles) away from the city.

Earlier, an elite unit of the Syrian Army, called the Tiger Forces, came within 18 kilometers (11 miles) of the besieged city after destroying IS (Islamic State, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorist positions on the Bishri mountain chain, Al-Masdar News reported.

Despite massive redeployment of fighters and military hardware by the Islamic State terrorists from other parts of Iraq and Syria to Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Army, with the help of the Russian Air Force, has been advancing toward the city on several fronts.

The key Euphrates city of Deir ez-Zor has been under terrorist siege for two and a half years, after being cut off from government-held areas in May 2015 during the jihadists’ offensive on Palmyra. The surrounded city, alongside a neighboring military base and airfield, have since been supplied with food and ammunition via airdrops by Russian and Syrian transport planes and helicopters.

On Sunday, the Syrian Army attacked IS barricades on the southwestern outskirts of the city, Sana news agency reported, killing several terrorists and seizing their weapons and ammunition.

“We carried out at dawn a successful raid against one of ISIS terrorists’ barricades in the direction of the Water Resources area through crawling and infiltrating it and throwing several bombs when we almost approached the area, killing all the terrorists at the site,” one of the soldiers told Sana.

The Syrian Army units have also expanded control in al-Badia, “eliminating the last gatherings of the organization in Hreibsha area that is located in the southwest of Deir Ezzor province.” According to Sana news agency, many terrorists have fled as the army is also advancing east of al-Sukhneh toward Deir ez-Zor.

The Russian Defense Ministry has previously stated that breaking the blockade of Deir ez-Zor will mark the defeat of the last capable grouping of IS terrorists in Syria.

“ISIL militants are still attempting to stop the advancement of the Syrian troops by relocating to the Deir ez-Zor region armor, pick-up trucks with high-caliber machine guns mounted on them, weapons and ammunition. They are creating fortifications with positions for artillery and mortars,” the Russian Defense Ministry reported Saturday.

In response, the Russian forces in Syria intensified airstrikes on the jihadists, destroying their armored vehicles, tanks, artillery positions and supply depots.

 “Defeating ISIL in the Deir ez-Zor region and lifting the blockade of the city will signify a strategic defeat of the international terrorist group in Syria,” the ministry said.

On Saturday, the Russian Air Force also backed the swift actions of the army and its allies who have liberated the town of Akerbat – considered to be the last major terrorist stronghold in Hama province and central Syria.

Lifting the Deir ez-Zor blockade will “provide Syrian armed forces and their allies with a really stable foothold in this part of northeast Syria,” geopolitical analyst Patrick Henningsen told RT.

“Strategically, you can’t say enough about how important this effort is right now,” he added. “Having a strategic partner like Russia with a viable air force, being able to coordinate targeting intelligence, being able to mount counter-insurgency efforts on the ground with air support, is incredible.”

The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Steffan de Mistura, also expects all major IS positions in Syria to fall by the end of October.

“What we are seeing is in my opinion the beginning of the end of this war… what we need to make sure is that this becomes also the beginning of peace,” de Mistura said on Friday. “And that is where the challenge starts at this very moment.”</s>The Syrian Army on Tuesday reached outside the eastern city of Deir al-Zor, one of the Islamic State group’s footholds, according to state media Sana news agency. The Syrian government forces have been backed by Russian air support to reclaim the city.

Nearly 93,000 civilians have been trapped in the city since 2015, according to BBC. The air strikes have destroyed several vehicles belonging to the Islamic State group.

The Army has advanced on the Brigade 137 base front on the western side of Deir Ezzor city, the news agency said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said that the security forces are currently 15 kilometres away from the city, AFP reported.

Deir al-Zor provincial governor Mohammed Ibrahim Samra said the government troops were trying to break the siege on the military airport as well, Reuters reported. “The coming days will also see the clearing of the city of Deir al-Zor [of the Islamic State group],” he added.

In August, the Bashar al-Assad’s Army had captured al-Sukhna from the terror outfit after heavy artillery firing and airstrikes by Russia.
Syrian state television reports the Syrian Army reaches a point 3 kilometers from Deir ez-Zor, a city besieged by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant since 2014.