November 9, 2017 - 17:03 AMT
60 km of Islamic State-held territory left to liberate in Deir ez-Zor

The Islamic State (ISIS) still controls over 60 kilometers (km) of territory in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, including several towns along the eastern and western banks of the Euphrates River, the Syrian military reported on Wednesday, November 8, Al-Masdar News reports.

Among the occupied areas still under the Islamic State’s control are a group of towns that are located along the Euphrates River Valley; they include Al-‘Asharah, Abu Hammam, Hajeen, Al-Jala’, and Sousah.

The aforementioned towns are filled with thousands of Islamic State fighters that are determined to make their final stand against both the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

For the Syrian Army, their elite Tiger Forces are tasked with clearing the large Islamic State pocket in Deir Ezzor, something that could take months to do.

The Tiger Forces will make their push from the Al-Mayadeen axis, while their allies from the 4th Division, Hashd Al-Sha’abi, IRGC, Liwaa Fatemiyoun, and Hezbollah advance northward from liberated Albukamal.