Increased Russian air operations against ISIS

In recent days, Russian air operations in the eastern deserts of Syria in the provinces of Homs, Deir Ezzor and southern al-Raqqa have increased dramatically. According to the latest field information, at least 20 ISIS members have been killed and many more wounded in more than 40 airstrikes in the past two days.

Most airstrikes are carried out in areas such as the deserts around Ithriya, al-Rasafah, al-Sukhnah and the deserts around the city of Tadmur, as well as the eastern deserts of Deir Ezzor against ISIS gatherings, positions and hideouts.

It is worth mentioning that so far, several clearing operations have been carried out by the Syrian army with the support of its allies in the desert areas of eastern Syria. Nevertheless, despite the efforts made, the threat of ISIS cells in the eastern deserts of Syria is still high, and we see attacks of ISIS against the personnel, armored vehicles and small posts of the Syrian army and the resistance forces in these areas on a weekly and monthly basis.

Of course, this issue is not limited to the areas controlled by the Syrian government south of the Euphrates River, and the northern areas of the Euphrates River, where it is under constant surveillance by US and SDF forces, are not free of ISIS threats and witness daily and weekly movements and operations.

In this regard, it seems that a special and long-term redesign and action plan is needed to clear the eastern deserts of Syria and to minimize ISIS activities in these areas; A plan to be implemented jointly by Iraqi and Syrian forces on both sides of the border.