Deir-ez-Zor offensive

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The Deir ez-Zor region and the city of the same name have been fought over in the Syrian civil war since 2011. The military conflict began in 2011 when Bashar al-assad deployed troops in the area in response to protests against his governance. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Syrian Armed Forces (SAA) fought each other until 2014 .

In April 2014, IS took over the position of FSA. IS besieged the remaining SAA troops, but was never able to drive them out of the city.

In the summer of 2017, IS was expelled from the city. At the end of 2017, IS still held a few areas in the Deir ez-Zor region.

Strategic importance of the Deir ez-Zor district

There are a number of oil fields in the Deir az-Zur district . These have been exploited for years. The IS did not have the technology to make optimal use of these fields. Still, the Financial Times estimated that he was making $ 1.5 million a day. Most of the oil and gas fields are located east of the Euphrates.

The Euphrates forms a natural river oasis that enables agriculture and thus urban life. Bases on the Euphrates make it possible to cross the desert in an east-west direction. The city of Deir ez-Zor is considered an important transport hub .

Much of the food produced in Syria comes from this region.

Fighting

Military situation in Deir ez-Zor in March 2014

Beginning of the civil war

From March 2011 there were protests against the Syrian government in the city and the region of Deir ez-Zor. The government under President Assad deployed troops from July 2011 at the latest to pacify the region. By the end of 2013, the rebels of the Free Syrian Army had largely driven the regime-loyal Syrian Arab Army from the region.

In April 2014, IS attacked the rebels with war equipment captured in Iraq and took over their bases. ISIS continued the fight against forces loyal to Assad.

Conquest and siege by the IS

In January 2017, IS succeeded in cutting off the connection between the two government-controlled areas and inflicting heavy losses on them. An IS offensive on January 22nd in the direction of the city center was repelled by the SAA.

As part of its military operation in Syria, Russia intervened on the side of the government troops with air support. On January 17, 2017, six Tu-22M3 bombers attacked ISIS targets in the Deir ez-Zor area. Each aircraft dropped twelve OFAB-250-270 high explosive bombs . The bombers were escorted by Su-30 and Su-35 fighter planes that had taken off from the Hmeimim military airfield . In the course of January, both sides fought loss-making battles, in particular over a cement plant in the Qalamun district. On January 29, IS announced through its mouthpiece Amaq that it had gained control of several western locations of the air force base. In the course of the months there were further heavy fighting, with the government troops being supported in particular by the Republican Guard , the Quwwat an-Nimr and Shiite militias. Russia supported these troops with its air force. On November 3, 2017, the successful completion of the offensive was announced, the IS had been completely driven out. The city had been fought over between the Assad government and ISIS since 2011. One day later, on November 4, 2017, at least 75 people were killed in a car bomb attack in Deir ez-Zor, and according to other sources more than 100 people.

Issam Zahreddine , a well-known major general in the Republican Guard, died in the offensive on October 18, 2017, from a land mine.

Conquest of the territories by SAA and SDF

Military situation on January 16, 2017, red: Syrian troops, gray: Islamic State

In the summer of 2017, both sides reported successes in the fight against IS in the region. The media spoke of a race for Deir ez_Zor.

Development after the expulsion of the IS

reconstruction

In order to militarily connect the areas east and west of the Euphrates with each other, Russian engineering units set up a pontoon bridge on September 27, 2017 . According to the Russian officer Vladimir Burovzew, the bridge is intended for the transfer of military equipment and troops to the east bank of the Euphrates. The bridge has a capacity of 8,000 military vehicles a day and tanks can also cross it.

Clashes between SAA and SDF on February 8, 2018

On February 8, 2018, there were serious clashes between SAA and SDF forces. According to American sources, 500 fighters from different units attacked the SDF headquarters in a coordinated manner, which also included American soldiers. 100 fighters on the side of the SAA were killed after this presentation.

Russian forces spoke of 25 victims. The SAA claims that their operation was directed against ISIS. However, its closest known forces are about 80 km away. Sputnik News later specified the Russian account to the effect that the target of the operation was an oil and gas field called Al-Isba that was occupied by IS. The geostation of this oil field is located in an area that the Kurdish forces claim for themselves. The industry database "industryabout" ran the oil field at the time of the SAA operation under IS rule.

Among the victims were fighters from the private Russian mercenary army group Wagner , who previously fought in Ukraine, and Russian engineers. Hezbollah fighters were also among the victims. The German press agency reports that Afghan fighters were among those killed. The Syrian Observatory reported that the attack came from local tribesmen. As a result, there were further fighting with many losses, but no change in the course of the border.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ FT Interactive Graphics: Syria oil map: the journey of a barrel of Isis oil . In: Isis Syria oil map . ( ft.com [accessed February 15, 2018]).
  2. ↑ Syria was: Islamic State advances in Deir Ezzor, scores dead. Middle East Eye, accessed January 29, 2016 .
  3. ↑ Бомбардировщики Ту-22М3 нанесли удары по целям ИГ в Сирии. Interfax, January 23, 2017, accessed January 24, 2017 (Russian).
  4. ↑ «Звезда» публикует новые кадры боевого вылета Ту-22М3. In: Телеканал ЗВЕЗДА. Youtube, January 23, 2017, accessed January 24, 2017 (Russian).
  5. ↑ Almasdar: Syrian Army makes new push to lift siege on Deir Ezzor Airport. almasdarnews.com.
  6. ↑ tagesschau.de:Assad's army expels IS from Deir al-Sor
  7. ↑ trend.az : At least 100 people killed in explosion in Deir Ez-Zor, Syria.
  8. ↑ telegraph UK: Top Syrian general killed by Isil landmine near Deir Ezzor
  9. ↑ Sputnik: Russian pioneer troops built bridge over the Euphrates in Syria - VIDEO. Retrieved February 15, 2018 .
  10. ^ Alfred Hackensberger: Like a declaration of war from the Kremlin . In: THE WORLD . October 6, 2017 ( welt.de [accessed February 15, 2018]).
  11. ↑ US launches rare strike on Syrian government-backed troops . In: AP News . ( apnews.com [accessed February 15, 2018]).
  12. ↑ Day of news on live map - February, 08 2018 - Map of Syrian Civil War - Syria news today - syria.liveuamap.com. Retrieved February 15, 2018 .
  13. ^ Sputnik: US actions in Syria: Bomb attacks for lucrative businesses. Retrieved February 15, 2018 .
  14. ↑ Super User: Al Isba Oil & Gas Field. Retrieved February 15, 2018 (UK English).
  15. ↑ CIT (en): Names emerge of Russian mercenaries killed in US strikes in Syria https://www.facebook.com/CITeam.org/posts/924858967667081… pic.twitter.com / oOuX7dj1xz. In: @CITeam_en. February 12, 2018, accessed February 15, 2018 .
  16. ↑ Iranian_Militia # Violations: # سوريا 25 قتيل من المليشيات الإيرانية جراء قصف التحالف الدولي لها في ريف # ديرالزور نتيجة الاشتباكات مع "قسد" 50 جريح تمت معالجةقسم منهم في المشفى العسكري بديرالزور ومستوصف الخاص بالمليشيات "حسينية الامام الحسين" في الجورة. # المليشيات_الإيرانية_الإرهابية @ Liveuamap. In: @iranian_militia. February 8, 2018, accessed February 15, 2018 (Arabic).
  17. ^ Paul-Anton Krüger Cairo: How it came to the US air raid on Assad fighters . In: sueddeutsche.de . February 8, 2018, ISSN  0174-4917 ( sueddeutsche.de [accessed February 15, 2018]).