Largest Islamist attack on Deir ez-Zor in 2017 repelled

28.05.2017, Syria.

On May 26, defenders of the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor repelled one of the largest attacks by ISIL militants (organization banned in Russia) in 2017, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to the news agency, several hundred militants participated in the attack, which took place during the night from 25 to 26 May. The militants tried to break through the eastern side of the Deir ez-Zor airbase perimeter. The airbase is located south of the government-controlled city, and it is cut off from it. During a ten-hour battle, militant attacks were repulsed. Syrian ATGM squads destroyed two of the terrorists’ BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles. The militants’ night attack did not reach its goals; the Syrian army managed to keep all positions. Accurate data on the losses of militants and of the government troops is absent. But it is already known that an improvised missile launched by the ISIL terrorists (organization banned in Russia), killed two and injured ten civilians.

The agency reports that, additionally, Russian Air Force military transport aircraft dropped 26 parachute cargo platforms with food and medicine for the city defenders. The cargo landed in areas which are controlled by the Syrian army, and this will provide significant aid to the defenders.

For several years, the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor has been under severe siege by ISIL militants (organization banned in Russia). The city is controlled by the Syrian Army. Humanitarian and food supply for the part of the city, blocked by militants, is delivered by air. Despite the strengthened positions of the Syrian Army and the constant losses among the militants, the terrorists regularly try to capture the besieged city. On May 5, the establishment of de-escalation zones in Syria under the guarantees of Russia, Iran, and Turkey was announced. This helped the Syrian military commanders to free up significant resources of manpower and equipment from the areas where the ceasefire is maintained. This redeployment of resources allowed the commencement of an offensive operation against militants to the south-west of Palmyra in order to secure the flanks and to take more convenient frontier lines. The success of this offensive operation will determine the timing of possible actions to remove the blockade of the besieged city.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

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