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Local sources in Deir Ezzor indicated today the arrival of reinforcements to the regime-held Deir Ezzor pocket, amid significant gains made in the vicinity of the military airport by Daesh. Another reason for this move is the devastating casualties that the regime sustained in the coalition air strikes on Thurdah Mountain, which were described by the US Central Command as “ a mistake caused by the wrong coordinates of the targets.”
Last night, more than 100 regime fighters were transported by helicopters from Qamishli, Hasakah, to Deir Ezzor in order to reinforce the Assad forces in the area.
The same source confirmed that the regime will reinforce its positions with more than 500 fighters who will be sent from Damascus to Qamishli and then transported to the front lines in Deir Ezzor. Most of these so-called “fighters” are actually civilian detainees in the regime-run security branches and civil prisons who will be used as cannon fodders by Assad.
Even before the coalition air strikes on Thurdah Mountain, the Assad-regime has suffered a shortage of manpower due to the continuous violent battles against the organization which have been raging in multiple areas in the province over the past two years. The regime used to compensate the shortage of manpower by reinforcing its positions with the pro-Assad Iranian, Palestinian, Lebanese and local militias.