Syria: Russia-backed Syrian army expels Islamic State (ISIS) militants from eastern Aleppo
Syrian army forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday recaptured major areas in the eastern countryside of Aleppo province, after the withdrawal of Islamic State’s (ISIS) militants.
Supported by a Russian air cover, the Syrian regime’s troops took control of the Maskana town and more than 20 villages in eastern Aleppo, local sources reported.
“The Russian warplanes hit ISIS tactical units in the area on Sunday, causing dozens of casualties in ISIS’s ranks. This has enabled the Syrian army to accomplish a dramatic progress on the ground,” local media activist Omar al-Jassim told ARA News.
“ISIS lost its major defence lines in the eastern countryside of Aleppo. The group was forced to withdraw from the key town of Maskana and 20 nearby villages,” the source reported.
Pro-Assad forces are now in control of the Maskana-Raqqa road, which used to be a key supply route for ISIS to support its operations in eastern Aleppo.