MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Syrian army will start the operation to liberate a military airfield besieged by Daesh terrorist group in the country’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province in the coming hours, provincial Governor Muhammed Ibrahim Samra told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"In the coming hours, the advancing units Syrian army will meet and start the liberation of a besieged military airfield, as well as the civilian quarters of Harabush, Jafra, Sinauh," Samra said.
The governor explained that the terrorists had managed to take control over the airfield in September 2016, when the international US-led coalition was shelling the Syrian government forces.
"The coalition played a negative role in the clashes in our region. It has destroyed a lot of our buildings, schools, bridges, universities, power stations and other important objects in the province. All this actions supported the terrorists. Yesterday, the coalition opened fire on civilians. A lot of people died in the regions of al Salihiyah, al Mayadin, al Bukamal," Samra said.
Earlier in the day, the Syrian army assisted by Russia managed to finally break the three-year Daesh siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor, with food and ammunition only being delivered to the city by air, while helicopters from the city of Qamishli had been evacuating the wounded and delivering essential supplies to the city's population.
When commenting on the successful operation, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian strikes on Daesh terrorist group's positions, including today's frigate's strikes with cruise missiles from the Mediterranean, allowed the Syrian Armed Forces to break the 3-year siege of Deir ez-Zor. The Russian strikes conducted simultaneously by aviation and a warship destroyed Daesh fortified areas, undergound tunnels, artillery positions and ammunition depots near Deir ez-Zor.
