Syrian Army Gains Control Over Strategic Heights Near Deir ez-Zor Airbase

DEIR EZ-ZOR (Syria), (Sputnik) — The vanguard units of the Syrian Army took control of strategical hills on the Qarrum mountain ridge southeast of an air base in Deir ez-Zor, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene.

In one of his recent interviews, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underlined that the liberation of Syria's Deir ez-Zor is important, but terrorism will not be eliminated in Syria by these operations alone.

On Wednesday, Syrian government troops completed the clearing operation of the Sarda hills west of Qarrum, taking control of the oil fields south-east of Deir ez-Zor and a gas processing plant.

After knocking out Daesh (banned in many countries, including Russia) militants from Qarrum and Sarda, the army provided a foothold for an offensive east of the air base in the direction of the road connecting the city of Al Mayadin and Deir ez-Zor, the main supply route of terrorists.

The terrorists are fiercely resisting, firing at the vanguard units of the Syrian army from mortars, heavy machine guns and sniper rifles. The artillery of the Syrian army, in turn, is destroying the Daesh firing positions, supporting the advance of the army and allied forces toward Deir ez-Zor.