"Syrian government troops, with the support of the Russian Air Force, achieved a major success, inflicting a devastating defeat on Daesh units in the area of the city of Deir ez-Zor, which is bigger in scale than all previous victories over the past three years," the statement read.
The Syrian military started an operation to unblock the airbase on Friday, days after breaking the siege of Deir ez-Zor. A Sputnik correspondent reported earlier in the day that fierce fighting was ongoing near the base between Syrian troops and terrorists.
The airbase is located two kilometers east of Deir ez-Zor. It has been blocked by the terrorists for more than three years. By the end of January, Daesh militants managed to cut off the communication routes between the city and the airbase. However, the Deir ez-Zor garrison held the defense despite regular Daesh attacks.
