Fort Russ News –
RusVesna – translated by J. Arnoldski –
ISIS terrorists have launched an offensive on the T-4 Tiyas airbase near Palmyra in the eastern province of Homs where Russian attack helicopters have been based and on combat duty for many months.
On Monday morning, the bandits stormed the perimeter of the Syrian airbase from the northern and eastern directions. Before the ISIS infantry attack on the positions of the airfield’s defenders, two suicide car bombers tried to break through the positions of Syrian Arab Army on the perimeter. The army destroyed both “jihadmobiles” with the help of Russian guided anti-tank missiles before the suicide bombers could reach their targets. Footage of this has since been released:
Immediately after the suicide attack, ISIS militants began to storm the Syrian army’s fortified positions, advancing in great force. Fierce fighting continued into the evening and ended with the terrorists’ retreating to their original positions under heavy fire by government troops.
The most important role in the Syrian army’s military operation has been played by the skillful actions of Russian aerospace forces which helped push the Islamists away from the eastern and southern perimeters of the Tiyas airbase. Helicopter gunships and planes have almost uninterruptedly swept over the heads of ISIS terrorists and struck them along the entire front. Dozens of terrorists were liquidated by rocket strikes and Syrian soldiers’ fire.
As a result, SAA units beat back the advancing ISIS bands to approximately seven kilometers from the defensive lines east and south of the airfield and to five kilometers from the northern side.
Over night, Russian air forces continued to launch successful strikes on militants between Palmyra and the airbase.
It has also been reported that larger reinforcements have arrived at the airfield, including the elite Tiger Forces, Calluna’s Shield forces from Damascus, the Golan Regiment from Quneitra, and the army’s special forces. There is evidence that the legendary “Tiger,” Suheil Al-Hassan, has arrived from Aleppo to command the operation. The incoming units have been urgently deployed at strategically important facilities to fend off the armed gangs and, perhaps, later liberate Palmyra.
Retreating back to their original positions, ISIS militants are continuing to launch mortar, tank, and artillery fire at the Tiyas airfield and the defensive lines around it. Reports appeared earlier that Syrian aircraft were sent to other airports out of fear of losing them under the terrorists’ artillery and mortar fire. The majority of Syrian military aircraft from the base have in recent days been transferred to other airports. The fall of this airfield could be a critical military failure capable of terribly affecting the situation in Homs province.
Following the attack on Palmyra, the Tiyas base has once again become the main stronghold of the Syrian Arab Army in the eastern part of the Homs province.
UPDATE:
On Tuesday, government troops beat back ISIS attacks and even led a counterattack in the vicinity of the T-4 Tiyas airbase.
Reports have appeared that the Syrian army, supported by Russian and Syrian air forces, could go on a counter-offensive and has since regained control over the Muhajarah air defense base earlier captured by the terrorists.
Today, the Syrian Arab Army command sent new reinforcements from Aleppo, including elite groups from the Tiger Force and Military Shield units.
Around 2,500 soldiers are to be deployed to the Palmyra front in the coming days to create an offensive group tasked with retaking the oil fields surrounding the ancient Syrian city. The capture of all the oil fields north of Palmyra has caused large problems for the residents of the Homs, Hama, Latakia, Damascus, and Tartus provinces, who now have limited electricity and fuel. In the coming days, troops are therefore set to make all efforts to restore control over these important facilities in eastern Homs.
The terrorists are continuing artillery and mortal shelling and attempts to break through the SAA’s defense from the northern and eastern directions. In addition, the militants have claimed that they have captured the Tiyas-al-Qaryatan crossroads.