Daesh launches new assault on Syria’s Dayr al-Zawr, kills dozens

Dozens of people have lost their lives when Daesh Takfiri terrorists launched a fresh offensive on the eastern Syrian city of Dayr al-Zawr, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

The Britain-based monitoring group said at least six large explosions shook the city, located 450 kilometers northeast of the capital, Damascus, on Saturday as the terrorists and government forces engaged in fierce fighting with each other.

The multi-pronged Daesh attack started from Baghaliyeh neighborhood near the northwestern flank of the city.

The group added that Syrian Air Force fighter jets carried out a series of strikes against Daesh positions in the area.

The aerial attacks reportedly targeted Baghaliyeh and Ayash neighborhoods as well as the peripherals of the 137th Brigade base west of Dayr al-Zawr.

Syria’s official news agency, SANA, also reported that two people lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries as Daesh terrorists fired a barrage of mortar shells at the al-Joura and al-Qousour neighborhoods of the city. The projectiles caused material damage to local residents’ houses and property in the targeted areas.

Meanwhile, Syrian government forces and fighters from allied popular groups have mounted a large-scale operation to retake the ancient Semitic city of Palmyra in the central province of Homs from Daesh terrorists.

An unnamed military source said some 10,000 soldiers and fighters have taken part in the offensive, and the forces aim to liberate Jazal oil field and Shaer gas field in the first phase of the operation.

The source added that Syrian forces and their allies have managed to advance three kilometers on the northeastern side of the Tiyas Military Airbase, which is also known as the T-4 Airbase  and lies west of Palmyra.

Syrian and Russian fighter jets, together with Syrian artillery units, are supporting government soldiers and their allies in the operation to liberate Palmyra.

SS