On Tuesday night, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) has launched a large-scale offensive in the western countryside of Palmyra, targeting the Syrian Armed Forces at the strategically located city of Qurayteen and the Teefor Airbase.
ISIS began their assault near the southeastern perimeter of the Teefor Airbase, when one of their combatants attempted to detonate his vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) at the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) checkpoint along the country-road they used as their launching point for their offensive.
The suicide bomber – “Abu Hamza Al-Daroushi” (Saudi) – was unable to reach his destination, as the SAA’s vigilant guards destroyed the terrorist’s vehicle and killed the ISIS combatant.
Intense firefights would follow the failed suicide attack, as a large contingent of ISIS combatants stormed the southeastern checkpoint, where they were confronted by both the Syrian Arab Army and the National Defense Forces (NDF).
These firefights are still ongoing between the two opposing parties; however, a military source has confirmed to Al-Masdar News that the intensity of these firefights have dissipated, despite dawn approaching the eastern Homs countryside.
South of the Teefor Airbase, ISIS conducted a large-scale assault on the city of Qurayteen’s, targeting the National Defense Forces’ frontline positions at the southern perimeter.
According to a recent field report, the firefights between ISIS and the National Defense Forces are still ongoing; however, the Syrian Arab Army’s 550th Brigade of the 18th Tank Division has reportedly arrived on the scene to assist in the defense of the city.
The Syrian Arab Army’s 67th Brigade of the 18th Tank Division reportedly carried out a powerful assault at the town of Timsheel, killing a confirmed 19 enemy combatants from ISIS, including “Abu Mohammad Al-Jindali”, “Abu Mariam Al-Hamwi”, Yousif Bassam Jawad, Qusay Thabet Al-Sheikh, Mohammad Hussein Al-Mur’ay, and Mohammad ‘Abdullah Shamir.