DAMASCUS, SYRIA (10:15 P.M.) – Syrian government forces and their allies continue their vital offensive in Palmyra countryside that is aimed at reaching the besieged city of Deir Ezzor.
On Wednesday, Syrian Army’s 5th Corps backed by Palestinian paramilitary Al-Quds brigade and National Defense Forces (NDF) made a significant advance against the so-called “Islamic State” (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS) east of Palmyra, capturing the whole Mustadirah mountain chain (marked with “1” on the featured map).
As a result, government forces have surrounded Arak gas field and Arak town from three different flanks. Both sites are crucial due to their strategic location along Palmyra – Deir Ezzor highway.