The Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” and their allies had a productive day in the Palmyra (Tadmur) countryside on Tuesday, liberating the imperative Hayyal Mountains from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) after a violent battle that resulted in the death of 23 soldiers.
However, the capture of the Hayyal Mountains is far more important than it would seem; this is because the aforementioned mountaintop is strategically situated to the west of the Qatari Royal Villa.
The Qatari Royal Villa is a large compound that sits alone on the southwestern outskirts of Palmyra; it is surrounded by trees and large buildings that make capturing this site far more difficult than it would appear.
But why is this site so important to capture? Well, for one; it is ISIL’s primary training camp for new recruits in central Syria.
Another important reason has to do with the roads that surround the compounds because there are several and they all lead to Palmyra’s southern district.
Should the Syrian Armed Forces capture the Qatari Royal Villa, they will be within striking distance of the Palmyra Orchards, which ultimately lead to the city and to the Archaeological Zone.
Unfortunately, nothing in this battle comes easy; this was proven on Tuesday when the Syrian Armed Forces had to sacrifice several soldiers to make these critical advances against the well-prepared ISIL terrorists; Abna24 reported.
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