24 hours of intense fighting in central Syria has left over 150 fighters killed and large numbers of others wounded. 120 ISIS fighters were killed, and 35 troops described as including Syrian military as well as loyalist militias.
The fighting centered on the town of Uqayrbat, the last ISIS-held town in the Hama Province. The government controls virtually the whole rest of the province, except rival Islamist forces in the far north who hold rural areas.
The territory, including ISIS-held villages, covers one of the main highways connecting Hama to the southern parts of the country. This was one of several paths ISIS used for repeatedly contesting control of Palmyra.
ISIS has been losing territory on a lot of fronts, and it’s surprising to see ISIS putting up such heavy resistance for a town that largely no longer holds strategy value to the remaining ISIS territory, as the highway doesn’t even lead into ISIS territory anymore.
There are three reasons they fight for no apparent benefit. First, this is a takfiri cult, and an Islamic version of medieval game of thrones. Cults often prefer to be martyrs, to surrendering. Second, they are still getting money and supplies from their sponsors, so the martyrdom is not an unpleasant period of hunger-filled days for their children, pregnant women and elderly. To sponsors, a good deal. The mire Syrian soldiers killed the better. And third, they cannot assimilate into local population — even if local. Cults are hard to deal with in peace time, not to mention in time of war. They are not wanted. The lesson ISIS took from US bombing of unarmed coviy after surrender is clear — fight Syrian Army and Hezbollah, or else if you lay down arms — we kill you. Also, while ISIS that layed down arms was not wwlcome to Deir Azzor, not a fifty miles from there at Al-Tanf, US blocked Syrian offensive, and is STILL protecting ISIS between Al -Tanf and Iraqi border. It is not hard to understand why. It gives US forces an excuse to stay in area where NO SDF IS PRESENT FIGHTING ISIS. So, a fake name for a fake group was invented as a reason for US being there.
In vain is Trump asking the generals to destroy ISIS and leave. US forces yse ISIS as a placeholder for future nation building. A Kurdistan in the north and Sunnistan in the West. In fact we the idiots, have already been given a hint. Contrary to ofher news, Al-Baghdadimus ALIVE and living somewhere in Euphrates Valley! Somewhere the generals and their neocon masters want them to stay. Who cares what the President says.