The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is reporting heavy fighting in Deir Ezzor, where a group of soldiers were sent to look for pro-government fighters who went missing in the desert. They came upon ISIS fighters and got into a substantial battle.
The incident was in western Deir Ezzor, in the desert area. This desert has a lot of remote areas where ISIS remnants were believed to be located. The remnants are seldom active because nothing is out there, but patrols are opportunities for ambush.
The patrol went out and the government lost contact with them, so they sent “tens of military vehicles” in to look for them. Unsurprisingly, they found their way into a fight, though casualties are so far not being reported.
ISIS has been accused of trying to reconstitute in eastern Syria, though largely this has not happened, with the group having lost its meaningful territory a long time ago.
Oh, ISIS will reconstitute with arms and money from the usual sources in order to keep East Syria colonised
ISIS?
These are mercenaries funded by the US to create a reason for America to remain in Syria.
Eastern Syria is needed to bring the Iraq/Syria Oil (American Oil Company to be named) to Europe via Turkey. Northern Iraq & the Eastern tip or Syria will become a new nation eventually to support this. Kurdistan is real. just not fully executed just yet.
Of course it is in Deir Azzor. There are groups there on Jordanian border that US funded, Seems like repackaged as ISIS. It is absurd to even assume that there is an armed group living in the desert, without a SPONSOR! Supplying weapons, food, transport and shelter — plus monthly salary for fighters. Without salary, people do not join. That is as simple as that.
Much has been made of ISIS religiosity and fundamentalism. That was ISIS brand. But it ENDED in 2017, or after ISIS mastermind was ousted in June, as MBS was installed as Crown Prince. Mohammed Bin Nayef was long time collaborator with CIA and MI6. And once promoted to Crown Prince — he had the influence he needed. But Trump saw the handwriting on the wall — as Iraq was beating ISIS and Syria with Russian help was doing the same. So Trump decided to be the winner — not let Iraq and Syria beat ISIS. For Saudi Arabia it was a big blow — invested treasure and reputation to sponsor Wahhabi inspired movement, movement to galvanize Sunni Muslims, to target Shia and Christians as well as Sunnis that were not complying with fundamentalist rules. The objective clearly was to hold predominantly Sunni territory between Iraq and Syria. And over time get Kurds organized, help them conquer ISIS, then establish Sunni autonomy and Kurdish autonomy. Saudis would continue controlling Sunni area, US Kurdish. But with Iraq’s Shia militia, and Army that recovered losses — Iraq was making progress. Syria ditto.
All that remained was to weaponize Kurds.
That did not go to plan either. Peshmerga Kurds did not support PKK Kurds to defend Kirkuk nor Sunjar, and left them to be ousted by Iraqi Army.
All that remained is Syrian Kurds. Suddenly SDF was invented, and Kurds were “liberating” Arab towns from ISIS just to keep them — and start creating expanded Kurdish autonomy.
But Turkey did not like the idea, and US could not figure out how to have Kurds hold on to large swath of Arab territory — and claim land? It just was not sustainable. Trump did nor want mess on his hands — and withdrew American forces. This made Kurds cut deal with Assad, and Syrian Army took over territory — except the “oil” that Trump kept.
And miracle of all miracles, that is an area hugging Iraqi and Jordan borders. And an area where stray ISIS has been found, or US troops tried to block Russian patrols.
The big plan failed big time. Saudis had cut off ISIS project, being essentially not supported by US — squandered money and reputation. This is why MBS is a pariah, And why Yemen war cannot end.
And why Middle East will remain in turmoil. One power, US, no longer an economic engine, not buying from the region, but expecting to sell weapons. China is the biggest buyer of Saudi oil. Asia is the economic engine. Realignment is under way.
Maintaining stable relationship with US is tricky business while diversifying relations both economically and politically with other powers. But this is what is happening.
Keeping a foothold in Middle East and leveraging conflicts is now the plan Z — but there is little else to do. Attacking Iran is fraught with dangers.
But while US is still obsessed with Rimland geopolitics — Eurasian century has already arrived.