Several mass graves containing hundreds of bodies killed by ISIS found in Deir Ezzor

The authorities found seven mass graves containing hundreds of unidentified bodies in al-Bukamal area in the countryside of Deir Ezzor province.

During combing operations in the western countryside of al-Bukamal, authorities found seven mass graves containing hundreds of bodies belonging to unidentified persons who had been killed by Daesh (ISIS) terrorists when they were controlling that area.

Teams of Civil Defense and Syrian Arab Red Crescent have recovered 101 bodies, many of which appear to have been tortured and abused before being killed, clarifying that work is underway to retrieve more bodies.

UN: ISIS carrying out executions in east Syria

ISIS is reportedly executing people in eastern Syria, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Wednesday, expressing deep concern over the fate of civilians still trapped under the militant group. 

Deir Ezzor’s Hajin area is the last significant remnant of the so-called caliphate ISIS proclaimed in 2014. The rest has been lost to offensives launched by different factions in both Syria and Iraq.

7,000 civilians are trapped between ISIS fighters preventing them from leaving the area and air strikes by the US-led coalition, Michelle Bachelet, told a news conference in Geneva.

"We also have reports of ISIS executing people perceived as cooperating with SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) or other parties to the conflict," she said, adding that civilians were being used as "pawns and bargaining chips" in the conflict.

SDF capture senior ISIS leader in Deir ez-Zor

SDF announced the capture of a high-ranking ISIS leader in Deir ez-Zor. 

Osama al-Awaid was captured in an operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) counter-terror units on November 22 in Ta’ana village of Deir ez-Zor province, where he had been in hiding, according to the force. 

Awaid “had been in charge of security affairs in ISIS-held regions across northern Syrian cities such as Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor,” the SDF stated. 

They accuse Awaid of being directly involved in 40 deadly attacks on the SDF and civilians.

Mustafa Bali, media officer for the SDF, described Awaid as an assistant to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. 

ISIS’ influence and financial resources have been slashed. The group is now corralled into territory that is less than one percent of the ground it once controlled across Syria and Iraq, according to the US-led global coalition. 

There are an estimated 2,000 militants in the Euphrates River valley between Deir ez-Zor’s Hajin town and the border with Iraq. They are a battle-hardened and ideologically-driven group that includes many foreign fighters and senior leaders. 

US-led coalition uses banned cluster bombs in Deir Ezzor

The US-led coalition launched a new aggression on the Syrian territories under the pretext of combating Daesh (ISIS) terrorist organization, targeting residential areas in Deir Ezzor countryside with cluster bombs.

Local sources in Deir Ezzor told SANA reporter that the warplanes of the US-led coalition on Wednesday evening shelled the residential neighborhoods in Hajin city and al-Shafaa town in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor with cluster bombs, claiming the lives of a number of the civilians and injuring others, in addition to causing material damage to the civilians’ houses and their properties.

The sources added that hundreds of civilians have been displaced due to the coalition’s continuous strikes which destroyed their houses.

The new aggression comes two days after a heinous massacre committed by the US-led coalition in al-Shafaa town, killing and injuring over 60 civilians.

Full detailed report how Syrian Army freed Suwayda abductees from ISIS

A field commander described the heroic military operation carried out by the Syrian army to release all people abducted by Daesh (ISIS) terrorists from Sweida province few weeks ago as “very precise.”

The military operation which took place at Humeima area, northeast of Tadmour (Palmyra), was launched depending upon accurate and reliable information on the whereabouts of women and children kidnapped by Daesh terrorists from Sweida, said the field commander, adding that the takfiri terrorists were changing the abductees’ position constantly for camouflage purposes.

He pointed out the operation resulted in the liberation of all abductees, the death of 8 terrorists, some of whom were foreigners, the arrest of one terrorists, the seizure of 3 vehicles and the destruction of some others.

The field commander confirmed that there were no losses among Syrian soldiers who carried out the operation.

On July 25, ISIS kidnapped a number of civilians, most of them women and children, following terrorist attacks that the terrorist organization mounted against villages in the province’s eastern and northern countryside and a string of suicide bombings in Sweida city that killed several civilians.

A terrorist known as “Abu Abdullah Mayadeen” who was arrested during the mission said that Daesh has among its members terrorists from Iraq, Turkey, Ingushetia, Uzbekistan, and India, and that it receives supplies from al-Tanf areas where US forces provided them via intermediaries with ammo, anti-air weapons, Kornet missiles, cars, and food.

The terrorist said that after the women and children were kidnapped from Sweida, they were transferred to Tuloul al-Safa and then to Humeima using camouflaged cars, exploiting weather conditions, and changing the abductees’ location constantly to avoid being tracked by the army.

[Graphic 18+] Several ISIS terrorists killed during Syrian Army’s operation to liberate hostages

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and their allies carried out a special operation to liberate the 19 civilians held hostage by the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) in the Palmyra countryside on Thursday. 

In coordination with the Russian special forces, the Syrian Army was able to locate the hideout used by the terrorist group to jail the hostages.

 Once the hideout was located, the Syrian Arab Army and their allies carried out an important operation to free the hostages from the terrorist group’s clutches. 

The operation would result in the liberation of 19 civilians, while two others were believed to have been killed by the terrorist group before the army could reach them. 

In addition to liberating the civilians, the Syrian Arab Army was able to kill several members of the Islamic State that were present at the terrorist hideout. 

As shown in the Pics below, many of the Islamic State terrorists were killed during this military operation on Thursday:

Terrorism in Syria and Iraq not defeated because groups supplied from outside: Russian FM

The battle against the remaining terrorists in Syria and Iraq is still ongoing despite past claims by world leaders.

Speaking at press conference on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the fight against terrorists is still ongoing because the latter is receiving support from outside entities.

“Terrorism in both Syria and Iraq is not completely defeated because these groups supplied from outside,” he told reporters.

This remark from Lavrov comes just hours after the Russian FSB said they have information about a possible merger between Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh).

In Syria, the Al-Qaeda linked groups and Daesh have been fighting for several years, especially inside the Idlib Governorate.

Last year, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and Daesh clashed for several weeks inside the southern countryside of Idlib; this resulted in the subsequent defeat of the latter.

Daesh is now relying on their sleeper cells in Idlib to wreck havoc on the rebel factions.

Daesh suffers huge losses in failed east Homs attack

The so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) launched a surprise attack in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate last night.

Daesh began their assault by storming the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions to the east of the key desert town of Al-Sukhnah.

For several hours, the Daesh militants attempted to fracture the front-lines of the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces (NDF) near Al-Sukhnah; however, they were unable to score any significant gains.

According to a military source near the scene of the battle, the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces killed many terrorists who attempted to crack their lines.

The source said that the Syrian Air Force played a major part in the defense of Al-Sukhnah, as they carried out raid after raid in order to weaken the terrorist group’s resolve.

Daesh finally called it quits this morning after they were no longer able to use the cover of night to advance against the Syrian Arab Army and their allies in this desert region.

The terrorist group did manage to kill and wound several members of the Syrian Army and National Defense Forces during the attack; however, their gains were limited and their losses were greater.

Several Russian military personnel killed in Deir Ezzor – monitor

Several Russian military personnel were allegedly killed in eastern Syria this past week after the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS) carried out another deadly attack.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least eleven Russian military personnel were killed by improvised explosive devices (IED) planted by the Islamic State terrorist organization.

The IEDs were allegedly placed in the Panorama area, which is located in the western outskirts of Deir Ezzor city.

While the Russian military has yet to comment on these claims, a Syrian Arab Army source said that several explosions were heard near the provincial cemetery over the last few days.

Western Deir Ezzor was often the site of many ambushes carried out by the Islamic State because it has an isolated road that is surrounded by desert.

Infamous ISIS commander killed in eastern Syria

A high ranking Islamic State (ISIS) commander was killed in the Deir Ezzor countryside this weekend after a series of clashes with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 

The infamous Syrian ISIS commander, Tariq Jaber Makhlaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jabari (AKA “Abu Adham Al-Shami”), was killed this weekend while fighting the Syrian Democratic Forces near the key town of Hajin.

Prior to his death in eastern Deir Ezzor, Al-Jabari was wanted by the Syrian authorities for his terrorist actions across the country.

Al-Jabari was one of several Islamic State militants that were killed in the heavy battle between the aforementioned terrorist group and Syrian Democratic Forces.

US led coalition commits 'new massacre' in East Syria

At least 62 civilians killed and  tens others injured in US-led coalition’s air strikes in the eastern part of the Deir ez-Zor province in Syria. the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Saturday, adding that the death toll may rise considering that dead bodies might remain strewn among the debris of collapsed buildings.

An airstrike targeted the civilian area of Aliyat in the As Susa settlement located 140 kilometers away from the administrative center Deir ez-Zor province where 15 women and children died. 

Missiles were also fired at the building of Othman Bin Affan Mosque where 37 civilians were reportedly killed and dozens were wounded. 

That was followed by an attack targeting a mosque in the Bu Badran settlement, which killed ten people.

Following the attack, Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry demanded international investigation into US-led Coalition’s attacks on Syria territories.

More than 122,000 terrorist facilities destroyed by Russian air force in Syria - Shoigu

Russian Aerospace Defense Forces have made over 40,000 flights, including 21,000 flight in the nighttime, over the course of the operation in Syria and delivered strikes at around 122,000 terrorist facilities, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said.

"Over the course of military actions, strikes were delivered at around 122,000 terrorist facilities. Most militants were eliminated," Shoigu said. 

"We acquired extensive military experience in Syria, and we are ready to share it," he noted adding that peaceful life is being actively restored in Syria.

"As a result of concerted efforts of the Russian center for reconciliation of the conflicting sides, over 2,500 settlements from all over the country have already joined the reconciliation process," the defense minister said. 

Special attention is paid now to resolving humanitarian issues in Syria and assisting refegees in returning to their homes, he concluded.

Source: TASS

Breaking: Syrian Army frees part of kidnapped civilians by ISIS in Suwayda

In a special operation carried out by the authorities concerned, a batch of women and children kidnapped by Daesh (ISIS) terrorists from al-Shabki village in Sweida eastern countryside since July 25^th were liberated.

Suwayda Governor Amer al-Ashi said in a statement upon receiving the liberated abductees at the Governorate’s building “upon directives of President Bashar al-Assad on hunting down terrorist organizations, our armed forces and the affiliated security apparatus tracked the remnants of terrorists in the depth of Suwayda eastern Badyia.”

“A lot of terrorists were killed during a military operation that lasted for more than 83 days while a number of the personnel of our heroic army were martyred or injured,” al-Ashi added

The liberated children are Ya’arub Jba’ai, Mulham Jiba’ai, Ghaida Jba’ai and Amwaj Jba’ai, in addition to two women Abeer Shaglin and Rasmyia Abu Ammar.

A number of the abductees expressed thanks to whoever participated in liberating them and ending their suffering to be able to return to their relatives, families and normal life, and they thanked the Syrian Arab Army for it sacrifices.

US behind terrorists control of Euphrates bank in Syria - Russia

Terrorists have managed to establish complete control over a 20-kilometer territory on the Euphrates’ east bank in Syria due to the inaction of pro-American groups, chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties Vladimir Savchenko said on Monday.

"As a result of inaction of pro-American groups, ISIS terrorists have managed to establish complete control over a 20-kilometer strip on the Euphrates’ east bank between the settlements of Hajin and al-Susa," he said.

According to Savchenko, despite the United States’ statement on the defeat of Islamic State, militants still enjoy control over some of Syria’s territories and the US-led coalition and pro-American Kurdish groups of the Syrian Democratic Forces continue to simulate fighting against militants in the south of the Deir ez-Zor governorate.

ISIS defeat in east Syria taking 'longer than expected:' US-backed force

The fight to wrest a desert area in eastern Syria from ISIS will take "much longer than expected," US-backed forces battling the jihadists told AFP on Tuesday.

The reassessment came as the United Nations warned that the fight for Hajin in Syria's eastern province of Deir ez-Zor was having a "devastating" effect on thousands of civilians.

The Syrian Democratic Forces has been locked in clashes for just over a month with ISIS holdouts in Hajin and surrounding villages, but they have been slowed down by harsh weather conditions and a ferocious jihadist fightback.

"The military operations in Hajin will take much longer than expected," said Redur Khalil, a top SDF commander.

"Daesh is benefiting a lot from weather factors, including sandstorms. They've helped it take cover from reconnaissance aircraft and other monitoring mechanisms," he told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.

Khalil said the landscape around Hajin was vast and arid, "larger than just a pocket."

The SDF estimates some 3,000 jihadists are defending the area.

They have laid a massive network of trenches, barriers, and explosives that were "hindering" the SDF's advance, Khalil said.

"Most of the fighters in the Hajin region are foreigners with fighting experience," he added.

Hajin, which lies in a small stretch east of the winding Euphrates River, is one of ISIS's final holdouts in Syria.

The jihadist group lost its de facto Syrian capital Raqqa one year ago this week to the SDF, which has chased it out of swathes of the country's north and east.

source: 

AFP 

Foreign fighters continue to pour into Syria: Pentagon

Foreign fighters are still pouring into Syria from neighboring countries, despite the Islamic State’s (ISIS) defeat in several parts of the country.

According to the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs Chairman Joe Dunford, foreign fighters loyal to the Islamic State terror organization are still entering Syria at a rate of approximately 100 a month.

“It’s the flow of foreign fighters, the ability to move resources, and the ideology that allows these groups to operate,” Dunford said, opening a conference on countering violent extremism, as quoted by the AFP News Agency.

While Dunford did not specify which border these Islamic State militants are using to enter Syria, it is very likely that they crossing into the Idlib Governorate from Turkey’s Hatay Province.

Over the last two months, the Islamic State has managed to increase the size of their forces in Idlib, prompting the rebels in the province to carry out several operations to eliminate the terrorist group’s sleeper cells.

18+ In Pics: HTS Jihadists clash with ISIS militants in Idlib province

Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, commonly referred to as Tahrir al-Sham or HTS Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria raid ISIS sleeper cell Head-Quarter in Idlib province. 

Where HTS said that their elite fighters managed to bust out an ISIS hideout in farms area surrounding Idlib city, they managed to arrest 2 ISIS militants and kill 3 others.

HTS added that they also seized large amount of IEDs and explosive devices ISIS were using to assassinate HTS fighters across north Syria. 

Recently, ISIS starts targeting HTS fighters across entire Idlib province where they killed tens of other rival jihadists by planting IEDs or by opening fire at them.

HTS did more than 5 security operations targeting ISIS sleeper cells with-out being able to stop the assassination operations .

ISIS executes 10 civilians in eastern Deir Ezzor – monitor

The so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS) executed several civilians inside the Deir Ezzor Governorate, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday.

According to the SOHR report, the Islamic State terrorists executed ten civilians that were being held captive in the towns of Hajjin, Al-Bukhatir, and Al-Shafah.

The identity of the executed civilians is still unknown.

Furthermore, the terrorist group has yet to release any statement regarding these executions.

The Islamic State still maintains a large presence in the Euphrates River Valley, despite the fact both the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are attempting to eliminate the last remnants of the terrorist group.

Syrian army scores new advance against ISIS in south Syria

The military operations conducted by the Syrian Arab Army continued in the rocky cliffs adjacent to al-Safa hills in Sweida eastern Badyia (desert), tightening grip on Daesh (ISIS) remnants positioned in the area.

Syrian army units engaged in fierce clashes with Daesh terrorists in the western part of al-Safa hills, achieving new advance in the area and killing scores of them amid a state of collapse in their ranks.
Snipers were among the killed terrorists.

Also, the army’s artillery and warplanes carried out strikes against Daesh, killing scores of them and destroying their fortified points, hideouts, arms and munitions.

ISIS Kidnaps 130 Families In Syria’s Deir Ezzor: Monitor

ISIS terrorist group has abducted as many as 130 families in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor Province in its latest atrocities in the Arab country, a UK-based monitoring group says.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the Syrian families were kidnapped from a displacement shelter in Deir Ezzor’s eastern countryside.

It also reported intense fighting between ISIS militants and the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed coalition of mainly Kurdish militants, on the eastern side of Euphrates.

Daesh regularly abducts civilians to use them as human shields or bombers in the face of advances by Syrian army soldiers and allied fighters on the battlefield.

Last September, Syrian government forces managed to enter Deir Ezzor city, breaking an Daesh siege of nearly three years on government-held parts of the provincial capital.

Two months later, the Syrian military announced that it had fully liberated the Deir Ezzor city of Bukamal, ISIS’s last urban stronghold.

Now, ISIS controls small pockets of Deir Ezzor Province, much of them empty desert.