On September 18, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Syrian Republcian Guard (SRG) officially crossed the Euphrates River and engaged ISIS terrorists on its eastern bank.
The SAA and the SRG advanced on ISIS positions in the Saqr Island and captured a major part of it. According to pro-government sources, ISIS units withdrew towards the Kanafat bridge in the northern part of the island.
Separately, government troops liberated the village of Sabha and entered the villages of Marrat and Mazlum on the eastern bank of the Euphrates.
The ISIS-linked news agency Amaq also confirmed that government forces have crossed the Euphreates following multiple airstrikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force.
Amaq said that ISIS members conducted 2 VBIED attacks against government troops in Marrat and Mazlum as well as a VBIED attack against the SAA in the Saqr Island. According to Amaq reports, about 40 SAA troops were killed in the clashes there.
While even Amaq has found strength to admit that the SAA is on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, a spokesman for the US-led coalition still has nothing to say about this. Howeer, he promised that the coalition “will defend itself and the SDF against threats”. Is it an attempt to blame Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance forces?
1/2 @CJTFOIR committed to our #SDF partners in operations to #defeatDaesh in Dayr Az Zawr province; #SDF cleared >40km2 from #ISIS in Syria
— OIR Spokesman (@OIRSpox) September 18, 2017
2/2 @CJTFOIR will defend itself and #SDF against threats; continue to defeat #ISIS in Syria.
— OIR Spokesman (@OIRSpox) September 18, 2017
On the northeastern flank of Deir Ezzor city, government forces liberated Hawi, Zughayr, Hamad and Shumaytah villages and entered the nearby oil wells area.
Meanwhile, Kurdish militias that are a core of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released another propaganda video blaming the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance for combating ISIS in the area of Deir Ezzor. The video was released following the confirmation that government forces crossed the Euphrates.
"If the Russian/#Syria'n attacks continue we will use our right to legitimate defense, we will retaliate in kind." https://t.co/vdQYqiF9CX pic.twitter.com/g05KDqYMHT
— Rojava Defense Units (@DefenseUnits) September 18, 2017
Earlier on September 18, the US asked Russia for a meeting to discuss a future of Deir Ezzor, according to the Russian media. Most likely, the US-led coalitino aims to use the ongoing anti-Syrian/Russian propaganda campaign to strengthen its position during the negotiations. The only problem that this will hardly help amid the rapid advance of the SAA.
Government troops are crossing the Euphrates River:
Photos of government troops near the Euphrates:
Deir Ezzor Airport is fully operational and planes deliver supplies and ammunition to government forces in the city:
