As a result of the Syrian Army's ongoing offensive on terrorist bases in the vicinity of the Al-Suwayda desert in the country's south, jihadists have been cut off from recent freshwater supplies.
After losing access to major sources of water, the militants were substantially weakened and no longer able to offer much resistance to government troops' attacks.
In late September, the Syrian Army liberated about six square kilometers (3.7 miles) of the problematic mountainous area, where many fortified militant positions were discovered, along with arms and a food warehouse, as well as a medical aid post.
READ MORE: Militants Surrender Heavy Weapons in Southern Syria's Bosra — Source
Control was established in part due to efforts by the Russian Reconciliation Center, which convinced some of the militants to lay down their weapons and either move to Idlib province to reunite with their families or to join the fight against Daesh* and other terrorist groups.
*Daesh (ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia
