Roundup: Situation in Syria's Deir al-Zour province bodes ill amid massive IS offensive

The three-day offensive by the Islamic State (IS) on the government-controlled parts of the eastern city of Deir al-Zour is boding ill for the city, as the terror-designated group has succeeded to make important gains.

The intense battles between the government forces and the IS militants are still raging in Deir al-Zour, coupled with tens of airstrikes targeting the advancing terrorists.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group said Monday that the IS militants made important gains, capturing areas around the Deir al-Zour airbase, which enabled the group to cut the road between the base and the city, just a day after the militants captured the mountain overlooking the city.

This progress is dangerous as the airbase is the only lifeline left for the city, which has been besieged by IS since early 2015.

Cutting the road is not only cutting a lifeline but also divides the government-controlled parts of the city into two parts, eastern and western, which tightens the noose on over 500,000 civilians in the city.

The IS main aim behind their broad offensive in Deir al-Zour was cutting the lifeline of the city, their next step is apparently attempting to capture the airbase, and in near future to storm the government-controlled parts of the city, if there was no surgical military operation to put an end to the marching IS terrorists.

The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said 28 government soldiers have been killed over the past three days, as well as 40 IS militants and 14 civilians.

Meanwhile, a military source told Xinhua that the Syrian air force is continuing to carry out airstrikes on the IS positions in the vicinity of the airbase, south of Deir al-Zour, as well as the factories area and panorama area in its southwest.

Opposition activists placed the number of airstrikes at 60.

The Syrian state TV confirmed that IS cut the road between the airbase and the city, saying the Syrian forces have started a counter-offensive to restore the areas stormed by IS.

Meanwhile, the governor of Deir al-Zour, Ibrahim Samra, told pro-government Sham FM that the losses of IS are estimated at 120 slain militants.

Citing officials in the Health Department in Deir al-Zour, the report said that 25 civilians have been killed and 45 others wounded since the terror group launched its attack on the city three days ago.

The health officials said there is a shortage in the medical staffers in Deir al-Zour.

The report said huge bombings were heard overnight in the city, in what appeared to be Russian and Syrian airstrikes targeting IS.

The Observatory said that the IS offensive is the most violent since the terror group attacked areas in Deir al-Zour and besieged government-controlled areas in the city two years ago.

The IS militants have been preparing for this new offensive since early this month, when they brought in tires and crude oil, in what the Observatory said was a preparation to make huge fire during their offensive.

It's worth mentioning that the IS controls large swathes of the Deir al-Zour countryside, and its recent attempt is to storm the besieged government-controlled areas in the city.

Deir al-Zour holds a significance for the IS as an oil-rich area near the Iraqi borders. Endit