The Syrian Arab Army’s 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard has taken advantage of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) recent transfer of fighters to the Al-Anbar front in Iraq by attacking their positions at Sakr Island in the Deir Ezzor Governorate; this resulted in the SAA taking control of 80 percent of the island, including most of the Al’Aleesh District in the north.

At the Al-‘Arfa District, the 104th and 137th Brigades carried out a raid on an ISIS weapons depot, killing 13 enemy combatants before they were able to take full control of the building and seizing the large cache of weapons and supplies stored inside.

Fierce clashes broke-out between the National Defense Forces (NDF) and members of ISIS at Cinema Street, where the latter attempted to infiltrate into the Al-Fouad Cinema; however, this militant assault was eventually repelled before nightfall on Tuesday.

Militants from ISIS attacked the 104th Brigade’s fortifications at Al-Jarfa, where they tried to push into the western sector of this village, but were later forced to withdraw their assault due to the significant casualties they sustained during the battle.

Meanwhile, west of Deir Ezzor City, the SAA’s 137th Brigade continued their advance into Al-Shoula, breaking through ISIS’ defenses inside the village and securing the outer perimeter of this imperative area; this village is isolated in the western part of the Deir Ezzor Governorate.