National Defense withdraws from western countryside of Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, groups of the pro-Syrian government forces’ National Defense Forces (NDF) withdrew from the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, which is under the control of the government forces, and headed towards Deir ez-Zor-Raqqa Road to participate in a combing campaign.
A combing operation, under direct Russian supervision, has recently started in Deir ez-Zor countryside to comb Jabal al-Bishri area and the desert regions located on the administrative borders between Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa areas, in addition to the road connecting them.
The government forces, the NDF and the Russian-backed Fifth Corps participated in the operation, Khaldoun al-Ahmad, field commander of the Fifth Corps, told North Press.
“The goal of the operation is to comb the area from ISIS sleeper cells and to remove the remnants of war, in addition to deter ISIS attacks against the government forces’ points and the affiliated groups,” he added.
The operation started from the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor and from the desert of Jabal al-Bishri in parallel, reaching the eastern countryside of Raqqa, which is under the control of the government forces.