ISIS and Assad Regime Targeted in Massive Syrian Ops // FAI ONLINE

SDF fighters stand near Coalition vehicles in Northeast Syria. (Credit: North Press)

Two large military operations rocked both ends of Syria on Thursday. In the Northeast, the Kurdlish-led SDF began a large-scale search-and-destroy operation to root out ISIS operatives in the Deir Ez-Zor region, while in the southwest, a devastating airstrike destroyed a Syrian regime defense factory complex near the city of Masyaf.

A spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the beginning of a coordinated campaign to break up ISIS sleeper cells in the autonomous region of Northeast Syria. Over 6,000 SDF personnel participated in the operation, with support from the US-led Coalition. At least 7 alleged ISIS operatives were captured, with more expected in the coming days. The sweep began a week after several high-profile ISIS operatives were captured in Northeast Syria. It is believed they provided valuable intelligence to the SDF and the Coalition. ISIS has been increasingly active in eastern Syria this spring, killing several regime troops with roadside bombs and burning hundreds of acres of crops.

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Meanwhile a series of powerful airstrikes set fire to a military complex on the outskirts of the Syrian town of Masyaf on Thursday evening. At least nine people were reported killed in the strike, five of whom where foreigners. Although there was no claim of responsibility, Israeli warplanes were observed flying over East Lebanon shortly beforehand. Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and members of his cabinet have admitted to striking hundreds of targets inside Syria over the past decade, many of which are purported to be joint research, production and training facilities run by the regime and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or the Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist organization. The Masyaf factory was previously struck two years ago, although yesterday’s strike appears to have been much bigger than the previous attempt to disrupt operations at the facility.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib appears to be wearing down, as Russian warplanes resumed bombing sorties against rebel-held cities and towns, indicating that a Syrian regime offensive may be gearing up soon. We ask our readers to continue to pray for the people of Syria, who continue to face suffering, trauma and death in every quarter of the nation, and for the nations who seek to restrain the radical and genocidal threats on both sides of the conflict. We pray for the opportunity to bring healing and Good News to the people of Syria directly while the window of upheaval and catastrophe is still open.

Maranatha.