DEIR EZ-ZOR (Syria), (Sputnik) – Al-Quaryatayn is located at a highway connecting Damascus with the ancient city of Palmyra, 120 kilometers (some 75 miles) from the Syrian capital.
"IS [Daesh, outlawed in numerous countries] militants are trying to storm al-Quaryatayn. The army and allied forces are engaged in fighting on the outskirts of the town. The situation is difficult," the source said.
The town was liberated by Syrian government troops supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces in spring 2016. Terrorists, who controlled the town, threatened to execute 168 Christian hostages in the event of an assault. The town was encircled and seized only after the hostages had been released.
The day before, the Russian Defense Ministry commented on the recent developments in the region, saying that both Daesh and al-Nusra have borne their heaviest losses over the last few months, their attempts to launch an offensive in Syria's western and eastern regions failed. The Russian Aerospace Forces conducted strikes in Syria from September 19-29, killing 2,359 Daesh militants and injuring 2,700 others.
