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ISIS gained control over the Damascus -Baghdad highway, including 7 check posts, the Baghdad rest area, Beer el Shahma, and the triangle of Zaza, following a large-scale offensive against the rebels 4 months ago. It succeeded in cutting the rebels ‘supply lines and consequently they became isolated from each other in two different areas : Badiyat al Sham and the eastern Qalamon.
After 3 months Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya (Army of the Lions of the Eastern Region) and the battalions of al Shaheed Ahmed started a joint offensive in order to retake their areas from ISIS, taking advantage of the foggy weather and the thick dust accompanying it during the past few days.
Following heavy clashes that continued for nearly 2 hours, the attacking forces managed to reconnect the rebels-held areas (Badiyat al Sham and the eastern Qalamon) as they regained control over all the previously mentioned points near the Damascus-Baghdad highway.Concerning ISIS casualties, 14 of its members were killed while the others were seen fleeing for their lives.