Syrian government forces have successfully taken back control of a 150-kilometer (93 miles) stretch of Syria's border with Iraq, the Russian General Staff said Monday, adding that four border posts and 22 checkpoints have also been set up.
"To date, control of the 150-kilometer stretch of the Syrian-Iraqi border has been restored. Four border posts and 22 checkpoints have been set up. This allowed to significantly reduce the capabilities of the IS [Islamic State] terrorist group [banned in Russia] to transfer militants and weapons from Iraq to Syria," chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said at a news briefing.
Rudskoy stressed that the Syrian government troops also took control over 211 kilometers of the Syrian-Jordanian border in As-Suwayda and Damascus provinces.
Moreover, some 20,000 square meters of the Syrian territory was freed from terrorists in past 2 months, which is 40 percent of whole liberated territory, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said.
Since June, the Syrian government forces have liberated from Daesh 55 towns in Aleppo province.
"In the northeast of Aleppo province, in the area of the Euphrates River, the Syrian armed forces continue an offensive against the Daesh terrorists. At least 55 populated areas were liberated in the region since June 1," Rudskoy said.
"The units of the Syrian Arab army regained control over the settlement of al-Dakhilah, the well of as-Sabhavi and the gas field of the same name in the southern vicinity of Raqqa. A large number of members of the IS terrorist group (Islamic State, banned in Russia) were eliminated," the source said.
Retaken territories allow government troops to quickly reach the bank of the Euphrates River and continue the offensive in the direction of the so-called "Daesh capital".
