The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies, supported by the Russian and Syrian air forces, captured a number of points 10 km east of the Arak gas field in the eastern Homs countryside after clashes with ISIS fighters.
The SAA had previously managed to capture almost the whole road between the T2 and T3 pumping stations in the border area with Iraq. The SAA is now in only few kilometers away from the T2 station located south of Deir Ezzor. The SAA is also aiming to capture the strategic Humaima village, 80 km from the ISIS-held town of al-Bukamal in the Deir Ezzor province.
In the eastern Hama countryside, the Desert Hawks Brigade has deployed a large reinforcement in order to support the expected SAA advance aimed at liberating the entire eastern Hama countryside from ISIS. The strategic ISIS town of Aqirbat is a key goal of the operation.
A video posted on social networks showed that the Desert Hawks Brigade has deployed a large force including two Shilka vehicles, 3 modified BMP-1 vehicles, 3 new BMP-2 vehicles, a T-72B1 battle tank, three T-90A battle tanks and three Gvozdika self-propelled guns. According to sources from the brigade, this convoy is just a part of the force that will participate in the operation.
#Desert_Hawks to start new operation in East Salamiyah against ISIS pic.twitter.com/F0NaQOlVkW
— Hamza sulyman (@hamza_780) 28 June 2017
Satellite images showed that the Syrian Army and its allies set up a fortified military base south of the Zaza triangle at the At Tanf road. The base includes artillery pieces and armored vehicles. It seems that the Syrian Army doesn’t intend to retreat from any point in the Syrian desert.
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