Terrorist commanders were holding a meeting at the command post near Deir ez-Zor, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The ministry said that on September 5, information was received about a meeting of commanders of terrorist groups at one of the disguised Daesh command posts in the vicinity of Deir-ez-Zor. They planned to discuss the current situation, as well as to work out urgent measures in connection with the rapid offensive of the Syrian government troops on the city.

Four powerful warlords were among those present.

"According to confirmed information, four influential field commanders were among the destroyed militants, including "the sharif of Deir ez-Zor" Abu Muhammad al-Shimali who was responsible for finance as well as redeployment of new recruits to Daesh training camps," the statement said.

Daesh "war minister" Gulmurod Khalimov was present as well, the Ministry said.

"The "war minister" of Daesh international terrorist group was at the meeting, and he died from a lethal injury," the statement said. "Effective actions of the Russian Aerospace Forces made it possible to speed up the unblocking of the city of Deir ez-Zor and allow the Syrian troops to start its immediate liberation."

Khalimov was a former Tajik special operations colonel, police commander, and military sniper. He was the commander of a police special operations unit in the Ministry of Interior of Tajikistan, or OMON, used against militants in the Central Asian nation.

Earlier in August the US State Department offered a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the location, arrest, and/or conviction of Gulmurod Khalimov.

Then, from 2003 to 2008, he had special training in America at a Blackwater military base.

In April 2015 he vanished from Tajikistan but later resurfaced in a YouTube video saying that he had joined Daesh.</s>File photo: A member of Deir al-Zor military council which fights under the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stands in a military tank in Deir al-Zor province, Syria August 25, 2017. REUTERS/Rodi Said

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance (SDF) has launched an operation against Islamic State militants in the north of Deir al-Zor province in eastern Syria, a statement said on Saturday.

The statement from the Deir al-Zor Military Council, fighting as part of the SDF, said assaults would aim to drive the jihadist militants out of areas they hold north and east of the Euphrates river.

Related Coverage Syrian army seizes oilfield from Islamic State in east: state TV</s>BEIRUT (Reuters) – The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance (SDF) has launched an operation against Islamic State militants in the north of Deir al-Zor province in eastern Syria, a statement said on Saturday.</s>MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The units of the SDF launched an operation against Daesh in the province of Deir Ez-Zor, according to a statement of the local SDF Military Council issued on Saturday.

The operation, called Island Storm, is being conducted along with an anti-terrorist push by Syrian government forces in the same area.

Earlier it was reported that the Syrian army, with Russian air support, has managed to finally break the three-year Daesh siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor. Until that point, food and ammunition had only been delivered to the city by air. Helicopters from the city of Qamishli had evacuated the wounded and delivering essential supplies to the city's population.

Simultaneously, the SDF have been carrying out an Operation Euphrates Rage to retake Raqqa from Daesh with the support of the US-led international coalition since November 2016. The province of Raqqa is located west of Deir Ez-Zor.</s>Terrorist commanders were holding a meeting at the command post near Deir ez-Zor, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The ministry said that on September 5, information was received about a meeting of commanders of terrorist groups at one of the disguised Daesh command posts in the vicinity of Deir ez-Zor. They planned to discuss the current situation, as well as to work out urgent measures in connection with the rapid offensive of the Syrian government troops on the city.

“After confirming the information received and conducting additional reconnaissance, two Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft of Russia’s Aerospace Forces were scrambled from the Hmeymim air base, which made a pinpoint strike with bunker busting bombs. The air strike destroyed an underground terrorist command post, a communications center and about 40 militants of Daesh,” the statement said.

Four powerful warlords were among those present.

“According to confirmed information, four influential field commanders were among the destroyed militants, including “the sharif of Deir ez-Zor” Abu Muhammad al-Shimali who was responsible for finance as well as redeployment of new recruits to Daesh training camps,” the statement said.

Daesh “war minister” Gulmurod Khalimov was present as well, the Ministry said.

“The “war minister” of Daesh international terrorist group was at the meeting, and he died from a lethal injury,” the statement said. “Effective actions of the Russian Aerospace Forces made it possible to speed up the unblocking of the city of Deir ez-Zor and allow the Syrian troops to start its immediate liberation.”

Khalimov was a former Tajik special operations colonel, police commander, and military sniper. He was the commander of a police special operations unit in the Ministry of Interior of Tajikistan, or OMON, used against militants in the Central Asian nation.

Earlier in August the US State Department offered a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the location, arrest, and/or conviction of Gulmurod Khalimov.

Before Khalimov’s name was added to the official US list of designated terrorists, he had received extensive training at US military training bases. In 2003, he went to Baton Rouge in Louisiana, to undergo special training with the US Special Forces. He returned to Baton Rouge for another special training course in 2008.

Then, from 2003 to 2008, he had special training in America at a Blackwater military base.

In April 2015 he vanished from Tajikistan but later resurfaced in a YouTube video saying that he had joined Daesh.</s>BEIRUT, Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Syrian militias have launched an operation against Islamic State in the north of Deir al-Zor province, a statement said on Saturday.

Assaults would aim to drive the jihadist militants out of areas they hold north and east of the Euphrates river, close to the Iraqi border, said the statement from the Deir al-Zor Military Council, which is fighting as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance (SDF).

A senior SDF official told Reuters on Friday they would launch attacks from the south of Hasaka, which is controlled by the Kurdish YPG militia, as part of a wider offensive to drive Islamic State out of Raqqa city and territory to its southeast.

With U.S.-led air cover and special forces on the ground, the alliance of mostly Kurdish and Arab militias is fighting to seize Raqqa, upstream along the Euphrates River.

Spearheaded by the YPG, the SDF says it has taken 65 percent of Raqqa city from Islamic State.

In the Deir al-Zor assault, the SDF would push towards the Euphrates River from the east of the province, which borders Iraq.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported that the SDF had already made advances against IS in Deir al-Zor after fierce clashes and seized several hills and a village in the province's northwestern countryside.

The operation will likely bring the U.S.-backed militias into closer proximity with the Syrian military and allied forces, who have advanced on Deir al-Zor city.

The Syrian army reached its enclave in Deir al-Zor city this week, on the western bank of the Euphrates, breaching an Islamic State siege that had lasted three years.

With the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, the advance capped months of steady progress east against Islamic State across the desert.

The eastwards march has on occasion brought the Syrian army and its allies into conflict with U.S.-backed forces.

Still, the rival campaigns have mostly stayed out of each other's way, and the U.S.-led coalition has stressed it is not seeking war with Damascus. (Reporting by John Davison; Writing by Ellen Francis; Editing by Dale Hudson)</s>BEIRUT (Reuters) – U.S.-backed Syrian militias have launched an operation against Islamic State in the north of Deir al-Zor province, a statement said on Saturday.</s>This frame grab from video provided by Qasioun a Syrian opposition media outlet, shows U.S.-backed fighters taking a rest during fighting with the Islamic State group near Ein Issa, north of Raqqa, Syria. Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Kurdish-led Syrian fighters clashed on Monday with Islamic State militants north of the city of Raqqa in Syria as they pushed ahead in their offensive aiming to liberate the city that has been the de facto capital of the extremist group since 2014. (Qasioun a Syrian Opposition Media Outlet, via AP) This frame grab from video provided by Qasioun a Syrian opposition media outlet, shows U.S.-backed fighters taking a rest during fighting with the Islamic State group near Ein Issa, north of Raqqa, Syria. Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Kurdish-led Syrian fighters clashed on Monday with Islamic State militants north of the city of Raqqa in Syria as they pushed ahead in their offensive aiming to liberate the city that has been the de facto capital of the extremist group since 2014. (Qasioun a Syrian Opposition Media Outlet, via AP)

U.S.-backed Syrian militias have launched an operation against Islamic State in the north of Deir al-Zor province, a statement said on Saturday.

Assaults would aim to drive the jihadist militants out of areas they hold north and east of the Euphrates river, close to the Iraqi border, said the statement from the Deir al-Zor Military Council, which is fighting as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance (SDF).

A senior SDF official told Reuters on Friday they would launch attacks from the south of Hasaka, which is controlled by the Kurdish YPG militia, as part of a wider offensive to drive Islamic State out of Raqqa city and territory to its southeast.

With U.S.-led air cover and special forces on the ground, the alliance of mostly Kurdish and Arab militias is fighting to seize Raqqa, upstream along the Euphrates River.

Spearheaded by the YPG, the SDF says it has taken 65 percent of Raqqa city from Islamic State.

In the Deir al-Zor assault, the SDF would push towards the Euphrates River from the east of the province, which borders Iraq.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported that the SDF had already made advances against IS in Deir al-Zor after fierce clashes and seized several hills and a village in the province’s northwestern countryside.

The operation will likely bring the U.S.-backed militias into closer proximity with the Syrian military and allied forces, who have advanced on Deir al-Zor city.

The Syrian army reached its enclave in Deir al-Zor city this week, on the western bank of the Euphrates, breaching an Islamic State siege that had lasted three years.

With the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, the advance capped months of steady progress east against Islamic State across the desert.

The eastwards march has on occasion brought the Syrian army and its allies into conflict with U.S.-backed forces.

Still, the rival campaigns have mostly stayed out of each other’s way, and the U.S.-led coalition has stressed it is not seeking war with Damascus.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>BEIRUT, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces Alliance reached an industrial zone miles to the east of Deir al-Zor city in rapid advances against Islamic State militants on Sunday, it said in a statement.

The SDF announced on Saturday it had launched an operation against the jihadists in northern and eastern parts of Deir al-Zor province, which borders Iraq.

The advances bring the SDF to within 15 km (10 miles) of the Syrian army and its allies, which this week broke a years-long Islamic State siege of government-held parts of Deir al-Zor on the other side of the Euphrates river. (Reporting by John Davison; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)</s>U.S.-backed Syrian militias are set to announce an operation against Islamic State in the north of Deir al-Zor province, a senior SDF official told Reuters on Friday.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will formally declare the operation on Saturday, with the aim of pushing Islamic State back from northern parts of Deir al-Zor, the official said.

They will launch the assault from the south of YPG-controlled Hasaka, the official said, part of a wider offensive to drive Islamic State out of Raqqa city and territory to its southeast.

With U.S.-led air cover and special forces on the ground, the alliance of mostly Kurdish and Arab militias is fighting to seize Raqqa, upstream along the Euphrates River.

Spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, the SDF says it has taken 65 per cent of Raqqa city from Islamic State.

In the Deir al-Zor assault, the SDF would push towards the Euphrates River from the east of the province, which borders Iraq.

The operation will likely bring the U.S.-backed militias into closer proximity with the Syrian military and allied forces, who have advanced on Deir al-Zor city.

The Syrian army reached its enclave in Deir al-Zor city this week, on the western bank of the Euphrates, breaching an Islamic State siege that had lasted three years.

With the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, the advance capped months of steady progress east against Islamic State across the desert.

The eastwards march has on occasion brought the Syrian army and its allies into conflict with U.S.-backed forces.

Still, the rival campaigns have mostly stayed out of each other's way, and the U.S.-led coalition has stressed it is not seeking war with Damascus.
SDF announces an offensive against ISIL militants in northern Deir ez-Zor Governorate.