ISIL Sets Fire to Jazal Gas Fields as Syrian Army Units Approach

The ISIL terrorists blew up gas wells in Jazal Mountains in the Eastern parts of Homs.

Jazal Mountains were captured by the ISIL in early December 2016 when the terrorist group launched a wide-scale offensive to seize the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra.

The ISIL occupation of some of Syria’s largest gas fields has created a fuel crisis across the country during the cold days of winter. The army and its allies are fighting to regain control of these gas fields.

Syrian army troops, backed up by the country’s fighter jets, continued to attack ISIL’s defense lines in Eastern Homs on Thursday, taking control over more territories in the Western countryside of the terrorist-held city of Palmyra.

The army soldiers engaged in an intense battle with ISIL West of Palmyra and managed to take control over the villages of Tarfeh al-Qarbi and Tarfeh al-Sharqi near al-Douh region.

Field sources said that the army men also clashed with ISIL from areas near Qasr al-Hayer al-Qarbi up to Khan al-Halabat region South of Palmyra, and could advance against terrorists.

The sources said that simultaneous with the ground forces’ advances, the army aircraft launched heavy airstrikes on ISIL’s movements and concentration centers in Badiyeh (desert) al-Qarbi Southwest of Palmyra, killing a number of militants and destroying their equipment.

Another field source said that ISIL has been pulling back its forces from the surrounding of Palmyra after the Syrian armed forces’ large-scale operation kicked off in Eastern Homs.

A military source said on Wednesday that the army troops were fortifying their positions around Palmyra (Tadmur) to launch a large-scale operation to free the ancient city from ISIL terrorists after arrival of more fresh recruitments.

The source said that the army fortified its positions in Badiyeh (desert) al-Qarbi of Tadmur, in al-Bayarat al-Qarbi region, al-Samamat region, the villages of Tarfeh al-Qarbi and Tarfeh al-Sharqi, the mounts of al-Tar and al-Hayal.

The source went on to say that the army reinvigorated its troops with fresh soldiers, getting ready to kick off a large-scale operation to drive ISIL out of Palmyra.

In the meantime, the army troops significantly advanced against ISIL in al-Maher oilfield and in the slopes of al-Hayal mountain, imposing control over al-Sawaqeh school Northwest of Tadmur.

Local sources reported that ISIL suffered a heavy defeat in clashes with the army men in Eastern Homs and pulled the remaining pockets of its forces towards Jazal and Jahar regions after setting fire to Hayan gas field