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Russian planes have recently been conducting a deadly and bloody air campaign in the province of Deir Ezzor, which is mostly controlled by ISIS. Around 160 civilians, including 35 children and 9 women, have fallen victims to Russian airstrikes in the province so far, according to various local sources. The airstrikes did not positively affect ISIS on the ground, as the group is still holding the areas it seized from the regime in Deir Ezzor over the past few days. The only victims in the airstrikes are civilians, which could be explained as a retaliation against them after recent ISIS advance.
The barbaric Russian airstrikes on civilian areas in rural Deir Ezzor came after ISIS battled the regime and made huge gains, capturing several areas in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, including key Ayash arms depots.
In addition, Russian planes perpetrated a massacre in Khasham town in rural Deir Ezzor yesterday, after bombing a civilian target in the town, claiming the lives more of than 90 innocent civilians, including women and children, DeirEzzor 24 correspondent in the eastern countryside said.
Most of the victims were civilians, and Russian planes butchered around 55 others after they targeted a residential area in the town of Al-Tabyiya yesterday, our correspondent added.
On the other hand, Russian warplanes conducted recently several violent air raids on several villages situated in the western and eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, including Al-Kharita, Al-Hussayniya, Al-Qassabi, Shaqra, Al-Bulayl, Al-Bassira, and Al Quriya, killing dozens of civilians and critically injuring a number of others.
In the same context, activists think that the regime forces in Deir Ezzor are in a big dilemma after ISIS managed to breach the regime first defensive lines in the area, which had been a shield that protected the regime for almost one year and half.
Moreover, regime security forces have recently conducted a campaign of arrest during which a number of civilians were forcibly recruited and taken to Al-Talai military camp and Brigade 137 west Deir Ezzor. The arrest campaign targeted all men whose ages range between 18 to 45 years old, which obviously reflect the severe weakness in the military capabilities of the regime in Deir Ezzor.