ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Syrian government forces launched a wide-scale security campaign in the Syrian Desert, central Syria, to pursue and combat Islamic State (ISIS) militants in the region, a military source from the government forces said on Thursday.
The source told North Press that the security campaign has been initiated in response to the targeting of the government forces’ posts by ISIS militants. These militants exploit the unstable conditions in the region to undermine security and stability.
On August 11, 40 soldiers of the government forces were killed and 10 others were wounded in an attack launched by ISIS in Deir ez-Zor.
Other forces will participate alongside the government forces in the campaign. They will focus on conducting thorough searches and operations in the town of Sukhnah, east of Homs Governorate, central Syria, as well as in the villages of Kabajib and Shula, and the surrounding areas leading towards al-Mayadin, east of Deir ez-Zor. These areas pose a significant threat to the supply routes of the government forces deployed in the desert.
The source, citing security concerns, revealed that the security campaign will encompass the clearance of significant areas from the presence of ISIS militants. The main objectives include targeting and destroying their command centers and weapon depots. Furthermore, the operation aims to retake control of strategic points in the desert, which were subjected to Russian naval bombardment.
The source emphasized that intelligence work plays a crucial role in the operation. Efforts will be focused on identifying sleeper cells and taking necessary actions to neutralize them. This proactive approach aims to prevent these cells from posing a future threat to both government forces and their supporting allies.
On August 13, Russian battleships docked in the Syrian coast targeted hideout of ISIS deep in the Syrian Desert.
The source emphasized that intelligence work plays a crucial role in the operation. Efforts will be focused on identifying sleeper cells and taking necessary actions to neutralize them. This proactive approach aims to prevent these cells from posing a future threat to both government forces and their supporting allies.
The Syrian Desert covers nearly half of the area of Syria, and is distributed over the governorates of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Rif Dimashq, Suwayda and Palmyra.
Iranian-backed militias and the government forces control large areas of the Syrian Desert and the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, which constitutes a source of concern as it witnesses intensive operations by the ISIS sleeper cells.