Syrian War Report – July 6, 2017: Tu-95MS Bombers Purge ISIS

Voiceover by Harold Hoover

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has continued advancing against militants in the area of Ayn Tarma east of Damascus.  According to pro-government sources, the SAA has liberated 10 more buildings in the direction of the Ayn Tarma roundabout.

Syrian Air Force warplanes carried out 13 air strikes on the positions of Faylaq al-Rahman and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Ayn Tarma and Jobar areas.  The SAA killed more than 15 HTS fighters and destroyed a vehicle. Faylaq al-Rahman was able to damage an SAA tank and to destroy a BMP vehicle.  The militants claimed that they repelled the SAA push in eastern Damascus.

On Wednesday, Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers struck ISIS targets in Syria with X-101 cruise missiles. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the cruise missile strike destroyed three large arms and ammunition depots, and a terrorist command center near the city of Uqayribat in the province of Hama. The strike was made from a range of about 1,000 kilometers.  The Tu-95MS bombers took off from an airfield in Russia.

According to experts, an intense bombing campaign in the Uqayribat area preceedes a large anti-ISIS operation aimed at liberating the whole eastern Hama countryside from ISIS.

The US-led coalition announced that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured 18% of Raqqah city so far.  The SDF allegedly advanced in Old Raqqah and took control of the road leading to Saif al-Dawla Mosque in the middle of the city.

According to opposition sources, US service members are participating in the battles alongside SDF members.  ISIS claimed that 12 SDF fighters were killed on Wednesday in Sukarat, Souk al-Hal, and Sour Baghdad in eastern and southern Raqqah.