Over the past 24 hours, counter-insurgency efforts have led to the capture of some 45 square kilometers of ISIS-held territory, thereby paving the way for the complete elimination of the Islamic State’s forces in Lebanon.

The main advance took place at the northern fringes of the pocket according to a military source close to Al-Masdar News. He stressed that pro-government forces from the eastern axis (between Al-Mosul and Sin Fiknah) managed to meet up with allied troops further west (between Al-Foqa and the Balousi Dam) on Tuesday; over a dozen hills were secured in the process while ISIS retreated towards rearguard areas.

With ISIS fighters trapped in a smaller and smaller area, they soon face no option but to surrender or die in battle trying to grip onto control of the mountainous West Qalamoun region.