On Thursday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Hezbollah captured the Ras al-Shahut crossing on the Syrian-Lebanese border, according to Hezbollah media wing in Syria.
The Ras al-Shahut crossing is the only route to the strategic Halimah Qarah mount and the Halimah al-Qurais heights, ISIS last positions on the Syrian-Lebanese border.
The SAA and Hezbollah also captured Wadi al-Magharah al-Kabir and Wadi al-Magharah al-Saqir heights in the southern part of the Western Qalamoun region. Furthermore, Hezbollah artillery units destroyed several ISIS positions in the Halimah Qarah mount.
From its side, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) artillery shelled the remaining positions of ISIS inside the Lebanese territory in Jurod al-Qa’a. ISIS now controls only 20 square kilometers inside Lebanon.
In the upcoming days, the LAF will launch the 4th phase of operation “Dawn of Jurod” in which it will likely capture ISIS last positions on the Syrian-Lebanese border.
In another development, a report of Reuters claimed that a Syrian official told Reuters that the remaining ISIS fighters on the Syrian-Lebanese border requested a safe route to withdrew towards ISIS-held areas in Deir Ezzor governorate.
“Islamic State asked for negotiations and a withdrawal, and the Syrian side and Hezbollah agreed,” the official said.
However, these reports are not confirmed yet by any side, and it’s not likely that ISIS will agree to withdrew, as it refused to withdrew from the Palestinian al-Yarmouk camp in Damascus two months ago.
