In absence of Russian warplanes | ISIS fighters attack regime military position in Syrian desert

SOHR activists have reported that ISIS cells have raided a regime position in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside, where clashes with machineguns and RPG launchers took place between the regime forces and ISIS cells in Sa’alo village which is 30 kilometers away from the center of Deir Ezzor city, leaving casualties among the regime forces.

These developments come in light of absence of Russian warplanes from the Syrian desert for 24 hours, however they returned today and executed four airstrikes on the Syrian desert.

Accordingly, the number of Russian airstrikes in the desert since early January has risen to 638.

On January 22, SOHR activists reported that ISIS fighters mounted a large-scale attack on positions and posts where regime forces and National Defence Forces were deployed in Al-Rusafah desert, south of Al-Raqqa province, injuring more than 12 members of National Defence and regime Forces, amid reports on deaths.
That attack coincided with 20 airstrikes carried out by Russian fighter jets on ISIS hideouts Al-Rusafa and Al-Sukna deserts.

On January 20, Regime forces, backed by militias loyal to them, conducted intensive combing operations targeting ISIS hideouts and hotbeds in the Syrian desert, starting from the eastern desert of Homs through Hama-Aleppo-Al-Raqqa triangle to Deir Ezzor and Al-Raqqa deserts.
Regime forces also targeted ISIS positions with heavy guns.
This combing campaign coincided with airstrikes executed by Russian fighter jets and Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying over the desert.