For the second time in two days, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) has launched a powerful assault on the provincial capital of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, attacking the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), National Defense Forces (NDF), and the Al-Ba’ath Battalions at the villages of Al-Dawoudiyah and Rad Shaqra in the southeastern part of the province.
ISIS’ assault on the provincial capital began at 7:30 A.M. (Damascus Time), when the terrorist organization fired a barrage of mortar shells and rockets toward the city-center; this was followed by the militants storming the villages Al-Dawoudiyah and Rad Al-Shaqra, where they were able to infiltrate the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses for the second time in 24 hours.
As a result of this fierce assault, the militants from ISIS were able to breach the Syrian Arab Army’s fortifications at the Al-Ahdath Central Prison near the village of Al-Dawoudiyah, resulting in the terrorist group’s subsequent control of the southeastern sector of the facility.
With ISIS on the brink of reaching the Panorama Roundabout in southern Al-Hasakah, reinforcements from the National Defense Forces, Sootooro (Assyrian militia), and the Al-Ba’ath Battalion poured into the provincial capital to aid the SAA in pushing back the enemy combatants from ISIS; this was successful, as the Syrian Armed Forces were able to recover all points at the Al-Adhath Central Prison.
Firefights are still ongoing between the Syrian Armed Forces and ISIS at the villages of Rad Shaqra and Al-Dawoudiyah; however, the former has been able to thwart the terrorist group’s continued advance into the provincial capital.