(Zaman Al Wasl)- A U.S. -led coalition airstrike against the Islamic State on Wednesday destroyed al-al-Asharah bridge extending over the Euphrates River in Deir Ez Zor’s eastern countryside which is the last functional bridge to pass between the two sides of the river in the entire province. The airstrike comes a day after the International Alliance destroyed the al-Midan bridge.
Ahmad al-Ramadan, the founder of the campaign Deir Ez Zor is being slaughtered silently said, “the International Alliance airstrikes under the command of the United States of America, has reached al-Asharah bridge along the Euphrates River which led to its collapse and its going out of service completely.” He added that this came one after the International Alliance destroyed another bridge close to the city of al-Midan one of the most important cities in the eastern countryside of the province.
Al-Ramadan indicated that the two bridges are the most important in the eastern area and the population used them go across the Euphrates and with their destruction the al-Shamiyah area on the right hand side of the river is completely isolated from the al-Jazira area on the left hand side. The area is isolated as the Alliance destroyed less important bridges in the environs of al-Bu Kamal and the eastern countryside.
Ramadan continued that the importance of these bridges stems from people’s needing them as the last means to transport merchandise and arrive to the market in the city of al-Midan which has replaced the province center given the center is facing confrontations since 2012. People go to al-Midan to access medical care as there are doctors and hospitals there, and for all trade activities. This is principally for the residents of the towns of al-Basirah, Dhiban, al-Shahil, al-Tinina and Hajin, in the al-Jazeera area in the north eastern countryside.
Ramadan clarified that the biggest bridge destroyed by the International Alliance is the al-Bukamal bridge in al-Baghuz area in May 2015. There are around 20 bridges in the area connecting the villages to each other most of them in valleys and Euphrates tributaries. Ramadan predicted that the strikes to infrastructure especially bridges may be a premonition to the battle for Mosul in Iraq and al-Raqqah in Syria. As a direct result of the destruction of the Euphrates bridges, the liter of diesel fuel increased from 175 Syrian Pounds to 200 Syrian Pounds in 24 hours.
The regime forces destroyed the famous hanging bridge on 2 May 2013 and al-Siysat bridge at the northern entrance to Deir Ez Zor city on 16 September 2014. The International Alliance continued the task destroying the bridges of al-Baghuz and al-Sowaateh close to al-Bukamal on 31 July 2015. Most recently they destroyed al-Midan and al-Asharah bridges in an attempt to separate the area of al-Shamiyah from al-Jazira forcing people to use boats to cross the Euphrates Rivers from area known as waterways which are also airstrike targets.
With the destruction of the al-Asharah city bridge in Deir Ez Zor’s eastern countryside the International Alliance has isolated the area east of the Euphrates from its western side for hundreds of kilometers from al-Raqqah till al-Bukamal. The Islamic State thus gradually loses its control over the river when it previously controlled it all with the exception of the border region which was under regime force control within the city of Deir Ez Zor.
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.