ISIL Recaptures Lost Lands in Deir Ezzur with US Forces’ Cooperation
Local sources in Eastern Syria disclosed on Monday that the US forces’ backup for ISIL has enabled the terrorists to recapture the entire lands they had lost to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Eastern Deir Ezzur in the last 2 months.
The Arabic-language website of RT quoted the sources as disclosing that in complete absence of the US-led coalition forces to support the Washington-backed SDF to counter ISIL’s heavy offensive, the terrorists managed to recapture the small but key towns of al-Sousah and al-Baqouz in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.
It pointed to ISIL’s control over al-Baqouz Foqani, and said that ISIL has in the last two days recaptured all the territory it had lost to the SDF in past one and a half months.
The Arabic RT said that fierce clashes are now underway between the ISIL and the Iraqi popular forces of Hashd al-Shaabi at Syria-Iraq border after al-Baqouz fell to the terrorists.
In the meantime, Syria’s state-run al-Watan daily quoted experts as stating that ISIL’s victory against the SDF and their advances in Southeastern Deir Ezzur and their access to the Iraqi border came through the US cooperation as American military left the Kurdish militia alone in battles against ISIL in the last two days.
The coalition fighter jets did not provide support for the SDF after they came under attack by the ISIL. The US forces have also retreated from a base near the town of Hajin.
On Sunday, the US Army pulled its forces back from their base in Eastern Deir Ezzur in a sudden move and after ISIL stormed the SDF and the US army aircraft did not provide them with aerial backup on Saturday.
The army soldiers retreated from their base near the town of Hajin in Eastern Deir Ezzur and pulled their heavy weapons back.
The army’s move came after ISIL launched a heavy attack on the SDF and captured al-Sousah and al-Baqouz, local activists said, adding that the US army has retreated to al-Tunk oilfield.
Meanwhile, al-Mayadeen TV Channel reported that ISIL has captured almost 100 SDF militias.
It further said that the Iraqi popular forces of Hashd al-Shaabi have reinvigorated its military presence at the border with Syria after ISIL captured more regions in Eastern Syria.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday that the SDF showed extreme anger at the US military after they were left alone under a heavy ISIL offensive in Deir Ezzur.
SOHR reported that the SDF started protests at the US military after the US air force gave no support for the Kurdish militias to counter the ISIL’s heavy offensive in Eastern Deir Ezzur that inflicted a large number of casualties on the SDF.
The ISIL launched a heavy attack on the SDF in al-Souseh, al-Baqouz and Hajin on the Eastern banks of the Euphrates River on Saturday.
SOHR further added that a sum of 68 SDF gunmen, including a commander, that had been dispatched from Tabaqa in Western Raqqa to Deir Ezzur were killed and more than 100 others were injured in the ISIL attack.
It went on to say that the ISIL captured al-Sousah and al-Baqouz in the attack, and seized tens of military and armored vehicles and a large volume of arms and ammunition.