SDF chasing ISIS in Deir ez-Zor desert

AHMAD SAMIR / DEIR EZ-ZOR

The second stage of al-Jazeera Tempest campaign, led by SDF, continues to liberate the remaining villages and towns in the eastern Euphrates River in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, to enter the campaign on its 48th day.

The fighters of SDF are chasing remnants of IS mercenaries in the desert east of Deir ez-Zor and the southern town of al-Dushisha, which was recently liberated by SDF fighters and to secure the Iraqi-Syrian border. What is the importance and objectives of this campaign?

What is the importance of the desert of Deir ez-Zor?

The desert is located south of al-Dushisha town. It is 120 km long and hundreds of kilometers wide. It is adjacent to the Syrian-Iraqi border.

This desert is void land its winter is tough, and summer is scorching, where there are a few villages and small hamlets and basins for large rivers, and this desert links the town of Dushisha village with Baguz village.

The goal of liberating the Desert of Deir ez-Zor

Alongside this desert lies the Syrian-Iraqi border, also in the east the towns of al-Sour al-Markada and the fields of al-Tanik and al-Omar, linking the liberated areas with al-Baguz town overlooking the eastern bank of the Euphrates.

These areas were in a state of insecurity as a result of repeated mercenaries' attacks. The aim of liberating the desert of the countryside of Deir ez-Zor is to restore security and stability and connect it with the liberated town of al-Baguz.

Chasing ISIS by three-axes

On three axes, the fighters of SDF entered the desert of the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, the first axis advancing at the expense of the mercenaries on the Syrian-Iraqi border in coordination with the Iraqi forces, as well as the axis of Merkada town, which was previously liberated by SDF fighters, al-Sour town is the third axis, these three axes managed in a few days to liberate more than 1,200 km of ISIS mercenaries.

ISIS had tried to resist in al- Dushisha town and its villages, but they were defeated, and they could not withstand the strikes of the fighters in the desert area. The first reason is that the geography of the area does not help ISIS as it is flat and empty.

However, the main obstacles to the progress of the fighters are the mines and booby-trapped vehicles

The people of the area are dragging the mercenaries into the abyss

Temperatures in this desert region reach high levels. Despite the difficulties that the fighters encounter under the scorching sun, the fighters continue to defeat terrorism which collapse is imminent.

The mercenaries are in a state of confusion because of the killing of all the leaders who manage the battles and confined in a narrow area.

H/S

ANHA