ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Sputnik/Mikhail Alaeddin
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and several pro-government formations had kicked off a large-scale combing operation in the southern countryside of Raqqa, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on April 17.
The operation, which is taking place in the outskirts of the town of Madan, is meant to neutralize ISIS cells and uncover their hideouts.
The Russian Aerospace Forces is currently backing the operation. More than 20 Russian airstrikes have already struck hideouts of ISIS in the outskirts of Madan as well as around the nearby town of al-Resafa.
According to the SOHR, more than 330 Russian airstrikes have targeted ISIS cells, their equipment and hideouts in central Syria since the start of April.
The new combing operation was likely launched in response to ISIS’s recent attacks in the central region. On April 15, the terrorist group’s cells attacked several positions of the pro-government National Defense Forces in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.
In the last two years, ISIS cells in central Syria expanded their operations to the southern Raqqa countryside and the western countryside of Deir Ezzor. Prior to that, the terrorists were only active in the eastern countryside of Homs and the eastern Hama countryside.
ISIS insurgency in central Syria will not likely end any time soon. However, it is being effectively contained by the SAA and its allies.
