ISIS Forces Routed Near the Christian City of Sadad in East Homs

Last week, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) captured the imperative town of Maheen inside the Palmyra Triangle; however, as they prepared for a large-scale assault on the predominately Syriac [Assyrian] Christian town of Sadad, the terrorist group did not take in account the level of resistance they would face from the Syrian Armed Forces stationed along the Maheen-Sadad Road. Initially, ISIS appeared to be gaining at the northeastern outskirts of Sadad, but this was quickly rectified by the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), who teamed up to push the terrorist group back towards the town of Maheen and recover the imperative checkpoint that is situated between the two towns. The National Defense Forces and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party quickly struck back against the terrorist group after they forestalled their advance; this led to the pro-government forces recapturing the Maheen-Sadad Checkpoint and several small hilltops that overlook the town of Sadad from the its eastern flank. Following the capture of the Maheen-Sadad Checkpoint, the NDF and SSNP were given a boost on the ground when the Assyrian militia known as the "Gozarto Protection Forces" (Sootooro) were transported by the Russian Air Force from the city of Al-Qamishli to this Syriac Christian town located in the deserts of the Homs Governorate. Immediately following their arrival, the Syrian Armed Forces recaptured Tal Sinni and several other hilltops en route to the ISIS-controlled town of Maheen. On Friday morning, the terrorist group attempted to rally a comeback along the Maheen-Sadad Road; however, they were once again forestalled by the Syrian Armed Forces after a series of firefights that left 7 SSNP fighters and over 20 ISIS terrorists dead.