Illustrative image, source: the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Early on November 12, ISIS cells in central Syria launched a large-scale attack on pro-government forces in eastern Homs and Hama.
According to Syrian opposition activists, the terrorists attacked positions of the National Defense Forces near the ancient city of Palmyra and the town of al-Sukhnah in the eastern countryside of Homs as well as in the outskirts of the town of al-Salamiyah in the eastern Hama countryside.
ISIS terrorists used heavy weapons, including rockets, during their attack. Nevertheless, government forces showed serious resistance.
The attack provoked a fierce response by the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). Russian warplanes carried out more than 40 airstrikes on ISIS hideouts in central Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
“Three warplanes took turns targeting the areas of the Islamic State organization in Ithriyah desert and the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle, in addition to the Palmyra desert in the eastern countryside of Homs,” the London-based monitoring group said in a report.
It remains unclear if ISIS terrorists were able to capture any position or inflict any losses on government forces during the large-scale attack.
ISIS has been attempting to expand its influence in central Syria for a while now, to no avail. Syrian government forces, with support from the VKS, continue to guard all urban centers and key roads in the region.
