KUBINKA (Moscow region). Aug 25 (Interfax) - The operation against terrorists in the vicinity of Syria's town of Uqayribat has entered its final stage, and the taking of that town will help create a security zone near the vital road between Salamiyah and Khanasir and control a number of hydrocarbon fields, commander of the Russian forces in Syria Lt. Gen. Sergei Surovikin said.
"The defeat of a group of militants encircled near the town of Uqayribat is entering its final stage. Despite heavy casualties, the militants are trying to retain control of the strategic transport hub," Surovikin said at an Army 2017 international military-technical forum roundtable on Russia's campaign in Syria.
"The takeover of Uqayribat will enable the Syrian army to create a single security zone west of the crucial road between Salamiyah and Khanasir and take full control of hydrocarbon fields north of Palmyra," he said.
The offensive mounted by governmental forces against ISIL (banned in Russia) on the western coast of the Euphrates River and in the direction of Deir-ez-Zor in northeastern Syria has been rather successful, Surovikin said.
"A lot has been achieved in the central part of Syria where the entire Aleppo province has been freed from terrorists. Government forces took over 1,100 square kilometers of land last week alone," he said.
The ISIL formation encircled east of Ittriyah has been fully eliminated, and terrorist groups have been almost encircled northwest of Suhne due to counterstrikes, Surovikin said.
"Governmental forces have seized the populated localities of el-Kom, al-Suhne, el-Kder, and at-Taibe where militants used to have vast reserves and warehouses. As a result, conditions have been created for the earliest liberation of Syria's central areas from ISIL and further advancement towards Deir-ez-Zor," he said.