Su-30 airbase “Hamim”
Syrian troops and militia backed by Russian aircraft freed the town of es-Suhne from the terrorists of the “Islamic state” (ISIS, ISIL). This was announced by the defense Ministry, reports TASS.
“[Sunday] August 13, 2017 as a result of joint actions of the aviation of Russian air force, units of government troops and militias in the East of the province of HOMS is completely liberated from the ISIL militants the city of es-Sohne”, — noted in Department.
The reports that this settlement, one of the last strongholds of ISIS in HOMS, already examined by the bomb squad, appeared on August 12.
As explained in the defense Ministry, the operation took place in several stages. By Thursday, the Syrian army took control of a strategically important adjacent heights and blocked es-Sohne, and in the night on Sunday with the support of the Russian pilots dislodged militants from Northern and Western neighborhoods.
“By 7 o’clock in the morning on 13 August as a result of hard fighting, units of the Syrian armed forces have liberated from terrorists the Central and southern part of es-Sohne, setting full control over the city”, — told in the Ministry. It drew attention to the fact that it is now open to attack and release of the Deir ez-Zor. The Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier said that the liberation of this city “would largely” speak about the “end fight” against ISIS in Syria.
Reuters writes that the “Islamic state” (a group banned in Russia) controls almost the entire province of Deir ez-Zor, which is bordered to the East by Iraq. It is noted that the Syrian military hold of the city and the adjacent military base.