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The military clashes which are underway between the Syrian army forces and the ISIS militants have intensified in Deir ez-Zor city of Syria. The militants have managed to divide the territories held by Syrian government forces having the airport and the airbase separated from each other. Both of these areas are currently surrounded by the IS militants.

The clashes are still underway. The militants have accumulated their forces and are advancing and the government forces are trying to confront them. Russian Air Force are supporting the Syrian army by launching airstrikes.

To note Deir ez-Zor province has long been under Daesh's siege. The Syrian army forces are in control of certain neighborhoods (including the city’s airport) in Deir ez-Zor city of the province. The military base of the government forces is deployed adjacent to the area. It can be described as a “small island” surrounded by the territories under the ISIS control. During all these years the militants have constantly tried to siege it but all the efforts were useless.

If in this time the ISIS militants manage to gain control over Deir ez-Zor it will be considered another failure of the Assad regime. Thus will be more derogatory defeat for the government forces than the one suffered in Palmyra, as the regime losses not only a territory but also a military base and all the efforts made by the Syrian forces to defend the base become senseless.

And if the government forces manage to thwart the attack of the militants they will only need to ensure the defense of the back of the airbase by uniting Deir ez-Zor with the other territories which are under the control of the Syrian army forces. All this can be carried out due to the successful operations in the direction of Palmyra by gaining a full control over Homs and Deir ez-Zor provinces.

Expert on Arabic studies Sargis Grigoryan