Syrian troops said close to breaking ISIS siege in east city

BEIRUT — Syrian government forces and their allies are on the verge of breaking a nearly threeyear siege imposed by the Islamic State group on parts of the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, opposition activists and state media said Monday.

Breaking the siege on Deir el-Zour would mark another victory for President Bashar Assad, whose forces have been advancing on several fronts against Islamic State, which also is known as ISIS, and other insurgent groups over the past year.

Syrian troops and allied militiamen have for months been advancing toward Deir el-Zour, the provincial capital of the oil-rich province of the same name. Government forces are besieged in a handful of neighborhoods as well as a nearby airport.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that the advancing forces are a few hundred yards from a besieged, government-held air base known as Brigade 137. If they reach the base, they will be able to lift the siege.

State TV reported that government forces are only about two miles away from breaking the siege. State news agency SANA reported the “collapse” of ISIS defenses in the area.

“The morale is very high,” Deir el-Zour Gov. Mohammed Ibrahim alSamra told state TV, speaking from inside the besieged area.

“Assad’s forces are few kilometers from breaking the siege,” said opposition activist Omar Abu Laila, who currently lives in Europe but is from Deir elZour. He is with DeirEzzor 24, an activist group that has reporters throughout the eastern province.

Al-Manar TV, the media arm of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, aired footage of people celebrating in the streets of Deir el-Zour.