| This article is incomplete and has not been edited recently, and is considered abandoned. It is to be deleted on March 25 (in 1 day), if work on it does not resume. Please edit it so it becomes un-abandoned. If you feel that this article is ready to be published, please add {{review}} to it. |
| This article is incomplete and has not been edited recently, and is considered abandoned. It is to be deleted on March 25 (in 1 day), if work on it does not resume. Please edit it so it becomes un-abandoned. If you feel that this article is ready to be published, please add {{review}} to it. |
| This article has been assessed not ready for publication.
Please see the review comments on the collaboration page. When these things have been done, and the article is ready to be reviewed and fact-checked, Submit for review?Template:Assistant/submit/formSubmit for review by changing the |
| This article has been assessed not ready for publication.
Please see the review comments on the collaboration page. When these things have been done, and the article is ready to be reviewed and fact-checked, Submit for review?Template:Assistant/submit/formSubmit for review by changing the |
Sunday, March 12, 2017
In the ISIS stronghold of Maskanah, on Saturday 11 March, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) and Russian forces have allied to combine over 80 airstrikes in an attempt to remove ISIS from the area.
If successful, this operation will be a strong blow against ISIS; who use Maskanah as the command for their supply route between Raqqa and Deir Hafer.
The expulsion of the terrorist group would also force them to retreat to Deir Hafer to avoid being surrounded by the flanking Syrian forces.
Video footage reveals that the task of liberating Maskanah will not be easy. 10 kilometers north of the city of Maskanah, at the Jirah airbase, ISIS has established a strong line of defense. In response, the Syrian and Russian armies are constantly barraging the stronghold with airstrikes.
Reports reveal that at least 20 ISIS combatants have died so far as a result of the bombardment. This includes the Tunisian jihadist security chief at Maskanah and an Islamic State field commander, Muhammad Al-Awad Hassan Al-Jam’ah.
Following this success the combined forces have destroyed crucial weapons and vehicles for the terrorist group, near the Aleppo-Raqqa (M4) Highway. These items include two jihadist armored vehicles and two pick-up trucks fitted with 23mm guns in the Wadha and Al-Hayt areas.
Recently, the removal of ISIS from the city of Aleppo has been increasingly successful, with around 200 villages liberated in the area in the last two months.
Once Maskanah is liberated, the next stage of the operation will be to seize Deir Hafer, and gain the Euphrates basin.