DEIR EZ-ZOR (Syria) (Sputnik) — The Syrian army and its allies forced the Islamic State terrorist group (Daesh) several miles away from the Deir ez-Zor airfield, ensuring the resumption of flights from and to the formerly besieged city, a source in the headquarters of the city's operations told Sputnik on Monday.
"The Syrian army has secured the Deir ez-Zor airfield perimeter, pushing terrorists over 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away, so the airfield is now ready to receive aircraft and prepare them for departure," the source said.
Earlier in the day, the Syrian troops crossed to the eastern side of the Euphrates river, thus launching an operation to liberate the northern neighborhoods of Deir ez-Zor.
On Sunday, an army operations staff source told Sputnik that the Syrian army cut off the main supply route to the Daesh-held areas of Deir ez-Zor in the east of the country by securing control over a strategic town nearby the city.
Last week, Syrian army made a major advance in Deir ez-Zor, breaking Daesh terrorists' years-long blockade to the west and south of the city and putting an end to the siege of a military airfield to the east.
