Moments ago, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) fully recaptured Badia Cement Factory on the eastern outskirts of Damascus after wrestling its industrial buildings from ISIS. Furthermore, Khan Abu Shamat Base was seized from ISIS by government troops sometime during the afternoon.
These two sites can be viewed here:
This offensive was conducted by the 120th Brigade & 81st Brigade of the 2nd Division while Syrian jets have carried out tens of airstrikes on ISIS positions throughout the day.
Remarkably, al-Masdar News seemed to have predicated the advance. Early this morning, it was reported that government reinforcements were puring into the region.
Last week, ISIS launched an offensive near Dumayr Airbase and subsequently captured Badia Cement Factory from government troops, even kidnapping some Syrian 300 workers from the site.
However, today’s government advance has fully reversed all gains made by ISIS in the eastern countryside of Damascus, thus driving them back to their original positions.
Meanwhile, ISIS fighters are also fighting with Jaish al-Islam insurgents nearby and have transformed the town of Dumayr to an urban warfare battlefield.
Now, the SAA is expected to push further east and capture the final ISIS-held points towards Sayqal Airbase.
