(Zaman Al Wasl)- Three Russian troops were killed by the Islamic State on Monday when they were trying to cross the eastern side of the Euphrates in Deir Ezzor along with the regime forces, the militant group's news agency said.
Amaq news agency said the Russians had been killed in clashes near Khasham town in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, posting photos for the slain soldiers.
The media wing of ISIS also reported that it had deployed at least two suicide car bombs against regime forces and allied militias, killing 40 during their attempt to cross the Euphrates River.
Monday’s crossing took place near a southern suburb of the city seized by the army on Saturday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Syrian state news agency SANA said heavy fighting took place against Islamic State in the area.
The convergence of the regime army offensive from the west and the SDF operation from the east has led to increased tensions.
The SDF said they came under attack from Syrian forces and Russian jets backing them on Saturday, after Abu Khawla said they would not allow the army to cross the river and would consider shots fired in their direction as an attack.
The SDF has advanced to within kilometres of the river, while the Syrian army has retaken much of the city, most of it on the western side.
Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture all of Syria. Assad controls the main urban centres in the west of the country.
The SDF, dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia, controls much of Syria’s northeast.
Syrian rebel groups which have fought against Assad since 2011 hold pockets of territory in western Syria.
Islamic State’s shrinking territory includes much of oil-rich Deir Ezzor province. (With Reuters)
Zaman Al Wasl
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