A large number of Iranian soldiers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are participating in the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) ongoing offensive to liberate the Islamic State (IS) occupied border-city of Albukamal in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, a military source in Damascus said, according to Al-Masdar News.

The IRGC soldiers are reportedly coordinating between the Syrian Arab Army, Hezbollah, Liwaa Fatemiyoun (Afghani-Iranian paramilitary), and Iraqi paramilitaries (primarily Hashd Al-Sha’abi) operating on both sides of the border.

Unlike the previous battles in southern Aleppo and Palmyra, the Syrian Army and IRGC are not relying on Russian choppers for assistance; instead, they are using several attack drones to clear the imperative Deir Ezzor-Albukamal Road.

These attack drones have proven incredibly effective, as their forces have already liberated more than 15km of territory east of the T-2 Pumping Station.

As the battle for Deir Ezzor City concludes, thousands of Syrian Arab Army and Russian military personnel are expected to arrive to this front to provide the adequate numbers needed to execute the last phase of Operation Dawn.