Operation Featherweight: Month 40, Week 4, Day 3.

This has to be read as a direct continuation of yesterday's post; http://watchitdie.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/operation-featherweight-month-40-week-4.html

I should start by correcting a small error I made in that post.

I stated that both banks of the Khobar River from a Shadaddi to the Euphrates River had been liberated on November 6th (6/11/17). I also stated that the villages of Qushayriyah and Hariza sit on the Khobar north of Shadaddi.

In fact it was both banks of the Khobar River from Suwar to the Euphrates River that had been fully liberated on November 6th (6/11/17).

The villages of Qushayriyah and Hariza actually sit between Markadah and Suwar. Rather than sitting directly on the banks of the Khobar they sit slightly to the west between the Niamh and Siobhan axis. Their liberation is part of the efforts to secure the area behind the advances.

Also I completely forgot to mention that alongside battling to liberate Raqqa the SDF have also been advancing along with northern bank of the Euphrates. From Karamah to Deir-ez-Zour City.

On October 14th (14/10/17) the SDF liberated the Husayniyah area. This sits around 4km (2 miles) south-west of the Deir-ez-Zour Industrial Zone.

As a result the SDF established a continuous line of control from Raqqa to the Deir-ez-Zour Industrial Zone. Linking the Wrath of Euphrates and Cizre Storm operations.

The second distinct force currently conducting operations against ISIL in north-eastern Syria are the Syrians themselves.

Certainly since the early 1980's Syria has been supported by Iran. That support has continued. Since the spring of 2013 Syria has also been supported by the Iranian allied Lebanese group Hezbollah. In the autumn of 2015 Russia threw its considerable military support behind Syria.

Since May 2017 the Syrians have been conducting operations to liberate the centre of Syria from ISIL. Both in the north and the south of the country.

To the north the Syrians liberated the town of Maskanah on June 4th (4/6/17). 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.

This put the Syrians in close contact with the SDF's Wrath of Euphrates operation. So the Syrians diverted around Tabqa and Raqqa. On July 30th (30/7/17) they 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.

This established the al-Tanf - Palmyra Line.

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.

Rather than immediately moving to liberate all of Deir-ez-Zour City the Syrians first concentrated 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.

While the Syrians were doing this ISIL launched an offensive of their own.

Launched on September 28th (28/9/17) this was designated; "Abu Muhammad al-Adani Offensive." It 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.

While they were repelling the al-Adani offensive and liberating Mayadin the Syrians also started liberating Deir-ez-Zour City itself. On September 19th (19/9/17) they crossed from the Airport complex into the Jafra Farms area.

On November 3rd (3/11/17) the Syrians fully liberated Deir-ez-Zour City. However ISIL do maintain a small presence on Hawijat Kati Island. This sits in the Euphrates north of the H7 Highway bridge.

The liberation of the cities of Mayadin and Deir-ez-Zour left ISIL in control of just one population centre in the Euphrates River basin. This is the town of Abu Kamal/Al-Bukamal. It sits around 8km (5 miles) from Syria's border with Iraq.

Alongside liberating Mayadin and Deir-ez-Zour cities the Syrians were also conducting another operation.

The were advancing from both the Tanf - Palmyra Line and the Suknah - Deir-ez-Zour Line on the T-2 Airbase.

With it's strange arrangement of runways in an X formation the T-2 Airbase sits just on the edge of the Abu Kamal municipal area. Around 70km (40 miles) west of the town itself. It is seen as the military gateway to liberating Abu Kamal.

On October 26th (26/10/17) the Syrians liberated the T-2 Airbase. On November 5th (5/11/17) the Syrians reached the Syria/Iraq border from the T-2 Airbase.

This led to some concern amongst CJTFOIR that this meant the Syrians would soon liberate Abu Kamal. From there they would be able to cross the Euphrates and advance north along the Syria/Iraq border cutting of the SDF's Cizre Storm operation. Hence the unfounded suspicions about the ISIL VBIED attack on the IDP camp close the Jafra Oil & Gas Field.

As the Syrians were doing all that the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) were conducting an operation of their own to liberate the al-Qaim municipal area. This was the last population centre under ISIL control in Iraq. It's sits on the Euphrates River around 15km (9 miles) from the Syrian town of Abu Kamal.

At al-Qaim ISIL were so unable to mount a defence that the operation happened so quickly I didn't have time to catch up with it. However it was launched on October 25th (25/10/17).

The operation was primarily conducted by the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) militias who are a recognised part of the ISF. Specifically the "Movement of the Party of God's Nobles/Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba" militia. They are not to be confused with Lebanon's Hezbollah although they are both Shia-Muslim groups.

On November 3rd (3/11/17) Syrian forces crossed into Iraq and liberated al-Qaim alongside Harakat al-Nujaba. On or around November 6th (6/11/17) Harakat al-Nujaba then crossed into Syria and liberated all the villages between the Syria/Iraq border and Abu Kamal. This allowed the Syrians to enter Abu Kamal on Wednesday (8/11/17).

Officially though none of that happened.

The battle for Abu Kamal has been somewhat confusing. Initially it appeared that ISIL fled the town in panic. That allowed the Syrians to declare the town fully liberated on Wednesday (8/11/17) - the same day they had entered it.

However it now seems that ISIL have been able to regroup outside of the town. Along with sleeper cells remaining in Abu Kamal they have launched something of a fightback. While the picture is still confused it is extremely unlikely that this counter-attack will succeed in re-capturing the city.

Obviously the SDF still need to complete their Cizre Storm operation by driving ISIL from the Syria/Iraq border north of the Euphrates River.

The Syrians also have some tidying up of their own to do. For example ISIL still maintain a small presence in Hama province where they are working with Al Qaeda on the boundary of the notorious "Sudetenland" area.

However we are days if not hours away from being able to say;

"ISIL Have Been Eradicated as a Territorial Force."

17:05 on 10/11/17 (UK date).