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On June 14, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies launched a security operation to eliminate ISIS cells and destroy their hideouts in the western and southwestern Deir Ezzor countryside. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the SAA has secured over 2,000km2 between al-Ward oil field, al-Maizilah, al-Tamah and Faydat ibn Muiny’a so far.
During the first hours of the operation, the SAA killed several fighters of ISIS and defused dozens of IEDs and mines which had been planted by the terrorist organization, according to the SANA.
In the last two months, ISIS launched two large scale attacks on the SAA positions along the western bank of the Euphrates River from the western and southwestern Deir Ezzor countryside. Syrian pro-government activists believe that more than 1,500 fighters and commanders of the terrorist organization are currently hiding there and in the nearby Homs desert.
Earlier this year, the SAA and its allies launched a similar security operation and cleared wide areas in western and southwestern Deir Ezzor. However, ISIS fighters resurfaced there within weeks, as their positions in the Homs desert were not attacked.
