If Deir Hafer is captured by the Syrian Army's elite special operation unit known as the Tiger Forces the Syrian troops will be in position to re-enter Raqqa province after being expelled by ISIL in August 2014.
Comment: And of course Raqqa is a critical ISIL stronghold:
Currently, the Tiger Forces are within 5 kilometers from the Western district of Deir Hafer, having left the militants in a vulnerable position with very little resources to counter the offensive, a military source told FARS News.
Earlier this month, ISIL lost the Kuweires military airport. Since then, the terrorists' defenses have been falling apart all over the eastern part of Aleppo. This has opened the way for the Tiger Forces and their allies to advance to areas previously considered inaccessible.
The militants are also facing a threat at the strategic hilltop village of Tal al-Ahmar, which is another gateway to the Deir Hafer front.
Earlier today, sources said that the Syrian forces and local militia liberated more territories in the province of Aleppo from ISIL militants and retook control of Aqulah village and its surroundings.
The Syrian Army and its allies continued fighting against the terrorists in various parts of Aleppo and forced them to retreat from the village of Aqulah. Scores of militants were killed or wounded in the northern part of the village.
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