PRESS RELEASE

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A New De-Escalation Zone Expected To Be Announced For Syria

July 24, 2017 (EIRNS)—Al Masdar reports, this morning, that a new de-escalation agreement is expected to be announced soon for northern Homs province. In addition to a ceasefire, the Russian reconciliation teams in the area will attempt to broker a deal that will reopen the vital Homs-Hama Highway so that commerce can once again resume in this region.

On the ground, the breaking news, this morning, is that the Syrian Arab Army’s 5th Corps is within striking distance of Sukhnah. Sukhnah is the last town on the road from Palmyra before Deir Ezzor. It’s also the last line of ISIS defensive positions before the city, which has been under jihadi siege for three years. Syrian forces have entered the vicinity of the end of the chain of hilltops stretching from Palmyra which will give them fire control over Sukhnah. Now al-Sukhnah’s liberation is within sight and pro-government forces could reach the gates of the town, or even take it back from ISIS completely, within a single week, Al Masdar reports.

Other Syrian army units, in parallel with the 5th Corps, have been advancing deeper into the desert south of Raqqa, capturing numerous oil fields from ISIS.