Operation Featherweight: Month 40, Week 3, Day 3.

In December 2016 the Astana Process on Syria was formed. This sees Russia, Iran, Turkey and Syria meet periodically to discuss the conflict.

The first round of meetings in the Astana Process held on December 20th (20/12/16) led to the creation of a ceasefire called the Astana Ceasefire. However due to the variety of armed groups active within Syria it was never really clear whom the ceasefire applied to and who it excluded.

At the demand of Turkey it clearly excluded the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF/QSD). A coalition of Kurdish, Sunni Arab, Christian and Turkmen forces the SDF have been the most effective anti-ISIL force within Syria excluding the Syrians themselves.

The ceasefire also clearly excluded the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In line with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2170 (2014) it also excluded The Support Front/Jabhat al-Nusra (ANF) who are The Base/Al Qaeda's affiliate within Syria and closely allied with ISIL.

The problem is that as its name suggests The Support Front operates as part of a wider coalition known as the Army of Conquest/Jaish al-Fatah.

Alongside Al Qaeda the second largest faction within the Army of Conquest is the Islamic Movement of the Freemen of the Levant/Harakat Ahrar ash-Sham al-Islamiyya (Ahrar al-Sham). They are very closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and through the Brotherhood to Qatar and Turkey.

Another significant faction within the Army of Conquest is the United Turkmen Army (UTA) who are sometimes known as the Syrian Turkmen Brigades (STB). This is formed of the paramilitary wing of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) known as the Grey Wolves.

Other factions within the Army of Conquest include the small but extremely nasty Army of Islam/Jaish al-Islam (JAI) and Islamist fragments of the now defunct FSA.

Therefore the question has always been whether the Army of Conquest as a whole is covered by the Astana Ceasefire or whether the presence of Al Qaeda within the coalition means that it is excluded.

At the fifth round of meetings in the Astana Process held on May 3rd (3/5/17 through to May 5th (5/5/17) an agreement was reached to try and resolve this question.

It was agreed that four zones dubbed the "Astana Zones" would be created in specific areas where ISIL are not considered particularly active. Within these zones fighting would be suspended between all groups regardless of their affiliation with Al Qaeda.

If there is one advantage to this agreement it has freed up Syrian and Russian resources to fight ISIL without distraction. Since May this is something they have been doing with great success advancing across central Syria in both the north and south of the country.

On June 4th (4/6/17) the Syrians liberated the town of Maskanah.The last ISIL occupied town in Aleppo Province Maskanah sits in the banks of the Lake Assad which is formed out of the Euphrates River. It sits around 90km (50 miles) west of Raqqa - the self-proclaimed capital of ISIL's self-proclaimed Caliphate.

At the time the SDF were conducting an operation to liberate Raqqa. The Syrians diverted around that operation and on July 30th (30/7/17)  liberated the town of Dalhah. This sits on the Euphrates around 25km (15 miles) south-east of Raqqa.

At the same time the Syrians were advancing west-to-east across the south of the country from the capital Damascus.  By June 9th (9/6/17) they succeeded in reaching the Iraqi border at al-Tanf. This is located around 280km (170 miles) east of Damascus and 160km (95 miles) north-west of the Iraqi town of Rutba.

From al-Tanf the Syrians have advanced towards Palmyra around 180km (110 miles) to the north-west almost in the exact centre of Syria. Palmyra was of course liberated from ISIL by the Syrians in March 2017.

The Syrians forces from Palmyra and Dalhah then converged on the town of as-Suknah on August 6th (6/8/17). As-Suknah sits around 130km (75 miles) south of Raqqa, 65km (40 miles) north-east of Palmyra and was the last ISIL held town in Homs Province.

From as-Suknah the Syrians objective has been to advance on the city of Deir-ez-Zour. This straddles the Euphrates around 120km (70 miles) south-east of Raqqa and around 120km (70 miles) north-east of as-Suknah.

Since March 2014 the entire portion of Deir-ez-Zour City which sits on the northern banks of the Euphrates has been under ISIL occupation. ISIL have also been able to occupy a portion of the city on the southern banks of the Euphrates. Broadly the Jbela and Hamidiyeh districts down to al-Arfi Street.

The Syrians however have been able to cling onto two pockets on the outskirts of the city;

To the west they have been limited to an area stretching from their 137th Brigade base into the south-west of the city up to the Cemetery area.

To the east they have been restricted to an area stretching from the Airport complex into the south-east of the city up to the al-Rasafah district.

On September 5th (5/9/17) the Syrians were able to break through from as-Suknah to their 137th Brigade Base. This ended the more than three year siege on their forces in western Deir-ez-Zour City.

It also established the Suknah - Deir-ez-Zour Line.



On September 9th (9/9/17) the Syrians were able to advance across the Cemetery to the Harabesh Quarter district. This linked the west and eastern parts of Deir-ez-Zour city held by the Syrians lifting the siege on the Airport complex.

Liberating Deir-ez-Zour City was always going to be a complex operation. What you would normally do in this type of operation is completely surround the city laying siege to it. You would then study the enemy's defences to identify the weak points before applying overwhelming force to those week points.

However on September 9th (9/9/17) the SDF also took up positions at the Deir-ez-Zour Industrial Zone to the north of the city. This meant that the Syrians were prevented from fully surrounding the city.

Also the Syrians had never fully lost control of the city. That meant they didn't have the option of holding back in order to find the best places to attack. They were already in battle with ISIL in the 137th Brigade base and Airport areas of the city.

So rather than moving immediately to liberate all of Deir-ez-Zour City the Syrians first focused on liberating all of the areas around the city. This included the area north of the Suknah - Deir-ez-Zour Line along the banks of the Euphrates between Dalhah and Deir-ez-Zour.

This was completed on September 24th (24/9/17) with the liberation of the town of Madan. This sits around 55km (30 miles) south-east of Raqqa and around 65km (40 miles) north-west of Deir-ez-Zour City.

The Syrians then set about liberating Deir-ez-Zour City itself.

Starting from the Airport area they liberated the Jafra Farms areas crossing onto the north bank of the Euphrates on September 19th (19/9/17). Having crossed onto the north bank of the Euphrates the Syrians quickly liberating the  al-Hatlah Tahtani, Hatlah al-Shargiyah and Asus areas.

On October 10th (10/10/17) the Syrians took control of the H7 Highway bridge across the Euphrates. This trapped ISIL in the portion of the city that sits on the south bank of the Euphrates.

On October 26th (26/10/17) the Syrians liberated Saqr Island. This sits in the Euphrates River between the H7 Highway and the Jafra Farms area to the south.

Within the main body of Deir-ez-Zour itself ISIL have been limited to just eleven districts between al-Qussour to the west and al-Sinaa to the east. These include the Old Airport district containing the Municipal Stadium complex. This is believed to have functioned as ISIL main headquarters within Deir-ez-Zour City.

On October 29th (29/10/17) the Syrians liberated the two Workers districts and the Mayssalon district. These sit directly south of the Old Airport District.

On Tuesday (31/10/17) the Syrians liberated the Old Airport district ousting ISIL from their headquarters in the city.

Having lost control of their headquarters ISIL then suffered a collapse in their defences.

In the space of a day on Wednesday (1/11/17) they lost control of the ar-Rashidya and Jubailah districts which sit in the centre of the city between the al-Qussour and al-Hamidiya districts. They also lost control of the Hawiqah districts which sit on an island in the Euphrates.

This left ISIL in control of just the Hamidiya, al-Jaradiq, Sheikh Yassin, Kenamat and al-Ardi districts.

Late yesterday (2/11/17) those remaining districts were fully liberated.

Today (3/11/17) the Syrians have been able to declare Deir-ez-Zour City fully liberated from ISIL.

While the Syrians were focused on liberating Deir-ez-Zour City and clearing the area to the north of the Suknah - Deir-ez-Zour Line ISIL attacked the line from the south.

On September 28th (28/9/17) ISIL forces in Mayadin launched their "Abu Muhammad al-Adani Offensive." This was intended to break Syrian lines both between Deir-ez-Zour and as-Suknah and between as-Suknah and Palmyra.

On September 29th (29/9/17) the Syrians launched an offensive of their own to counter the al-Adani offensive.

By October 6th (6/10/17) they had pushed ISIL all the way back to the outskirts of Mayadin. This sits on the Euphrates around 60km (35 miles) south-east of Deir-ez-Zour.

On October 14th (14/10/17) the Syrians liberated Mayadin.

The liberation of Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zour and Mayadin means that ISIL hold now just one population centre in Syria.

This is the town of al-Bukamal. It sits on the south bank of the Euphrates River around 100km (60 miles) south-east of Mayadin and just 5km (3 miles) from Syrians border with Iraq.

18:15 on 3/11/17 (UK date).