The Syrian and Russian Air Forces are massively targeting the last strongholds of the ISIL militants around the Kuweires airbase, military sources said Tuesday, adding the Army troops are waiting for the air forces' Okay to launch the last phase of ground operations to remove the airbase siege.
The sources said that in addition to the Syrian and Russian airstrikes, the artillery and mortar units of the army have also started shelling of the ISIL strongholds to weaken their defense lines as much as possible to lay the ground for the combatants of Hezbollah, the army soldiers and the National Defense Forces (NDF) to launch the final phase of their joint operations to lift the nearly 2.5-year-long siege on Kuweires airbase.
Earlier today, the sources said that the Syrian army, the NDF fighters and Hezbollah launched a fresh round of their one-month-long joint operations against the ISIL terrorists' positions near the Kuweires airbase from different directions, and retook full control over the strategic Aleppo-Raqqa Highway, and have now deployed their forces just one kilometer from the airbase's gates.
Scores of the ISIL militants have been killed or wounded in this morning operations, the sources said.
On Monday, the Syrian army completed control over Sheikh Ahmad town in Aleppo countryside winning a decisive battle in a chain of operations to lift a 2.5-year siege on Kuweires Airbase.
On Saturday, the Syrian army troops, the NDF fighters and the Lebanese Hezbollah forces, backed up by the Russian fighter jets, tightened noose around the ISIL terrorists near Sheikh Ahmad and its surrounding areas to lift over a two-year-long siege of the strategic Kuweires airbase.
Last week, the Syrian army, popular forces and Hezbollah backed up by Russian warplanes started massive operations and came almost half a mile closer to the Kuweires airport in a region where advance in every inch has taken days.
The pro-government forces marched on ISIL positions in the region and advanced to the rural district of Sheikh Ahmad after taking full control of the railway crossing.
At the time, the government forces were preparing to mop up the rest of Sheikh Ahmad to prepare for a massive offensive on ISIL positions along the Aleppo-Raqqa Highway. Some 80 percent of Sheikh Ahmad - that is seen as a milestone in the Damascus war on terrorist groups in the Northern province of Aleppo – was under the control of the pro-government forces.
Army sources said the Russian strikers have played a very crucial role in the operation.
Last week, commanders of the Syrian army, popular forces, Hezbollah and Russian Air Force held a meeting in Sheikh Ahmad frontline to coordinate the last phase of their joint operation for removing the two-year-long ISIL siege on Kuweires airbase, Southeast of Aleppo.
Military sources said at the time that the pro-government forces were deployed in most parts of Sheikh Ahmad, just 2,600 meters far farm the Southern gates of the strategic Kuweires airbase.
The joint operations of the Syrian army troops, Hezbollah fighters and NDF that have been underway with the Russian air backup for the last one month have forced the militant groups, specially the ISIL, to withdraw from the Southern parts of Sheikh Ahmad town near the Kuweires airbase.
Sources said that the militant groups have suffered heavy casualties in the latest stage of the pro-government troops' joint operations.
The ISIL Takfiri terrorists have besieged the Kuweires airbase for over 2.5 years now, but the base itself is under the Syrian army's control.
Hundreds of Syrian forces are under a tight siege at the airbase as a result of the occupation of vast areas surrounding the airport by the terrorists.
The Syrian army's helicopters supply foodstuff and other needs to the Syrian troops defending the airport; Fars News Agency reported.
S/SH