Syrian government forces, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, reportedly eliminated the most battle-tested and well-armed unit of ISIS in the Euphrates River valley last weekend.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, over 800 ISIS members, 13 battle tanks, 39 pickup trucks armed with large-caliber machine guns and 9 mortars and artillery guns were destroyed during the clashes near Ghanem al-Ali village. The ministry added that government forces are now advancing against ISIS along the Euphrates River.
The Syrian Arab Army and its allies took back Sabkha and Ghanem al-Ali villages and continued developing momentum in order to retake the rest of the areas near Maadan seized by ISIS during its large attack last week, according to pro-government sources.
The ISIS-linked news agency Amaq claimed that the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out over 100 airstrikes on ISIS positions in the southern Raqqah countryside over the weekend and claimed that about 50 SAA servicemen were killed in a SVBIED attack.
Reports have been circulating that at least 60 SAA service members have been killed and about 300 others have been missing since the start of the ISIS counter-attack in southern Raqqah.