Syrian government forces advance towards Daesh-held Deir Ez-Zor

Syrian government forces are advancing towards the last major Daesh stronghold of Deir Ez-Zor, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

Government troops have captured positions in the town of Mekhan, south of Al-Maydeen close to the country’s border with Iraq. They are now pushing further south towards the town of Boukamal which, if seized, would be a major loss for Daesh.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated on Tuesday that the militant group controls less than five per cent of Syria, after losing large swathes of territory to opposition fighters, the US-led coalition and Syrian and Russian allied forces.

Last week Raqqa, the Daesh’s so-called de facto capital, fell to the US-backed, Kurdish-led, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after it launched a final assault on the city a week before. The group was subsequently pushed back downstream to the fertile Euphrates valley.

Read: 128 bodies found in Syria town held by Daesh

As US and Russian forces pursue the remaining Daesh militants in the east of the country, some have questioned whether a race to conquer the oil rich region could result in a showdown between the international coalitions.

Whilst a direct military confrontation is unlikely to take place, the Syrian regime is in great need of the region’s oil to boost its flailing economy, and was irked by the US’ seizure of similarly endowed Raqqa. The Western coalition also captured the Al-Omar oil field in Deir Ez-Zor and a natural gas field on Sunday, constituting another blow to the Assad government.

Both sides have largely avoided clashes by maintaining a hotline intended to prevent incidents on the ground, but Russia has been increasingly frustrated at US activity on the ground, accusing it of a “barbaric” bombing campaign” in Raqqa.

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On Tuesday, spokesman for the US-led coalition, Colonel Ryan Dillon, said that it was prepared for any eventuality as the battle against Daesh came to a close.

“We are prepared to defend our partners if they are attacked, whether by ISIS fighters or by anyone else. We certainly don’t want to come to that and we will continue to de-conflict with our Russian partners,” he said using another name for Daesh.

Read: 397 civilians under siege starve to death in eastern Ghouta

As the threat of Daesh looks increasingly likely to be overcome, the overall dynamic in the Syrian conflict is also expected to change, as the Assad regime looks to defeat remaining opposition groups and its relations with Kurdish fighters remain temperamental.

Syrian forces have increased rhetoric against Western interference in the conflict, insisting that the Assad regime remains the only official authority in the country.

“We do not consider any city liberated until the Syrian Arab army enters it and lifts the Syrian flag over it. This applies to any point of the Syrian map,” Information Minister Mohammad Ramez Tardjaman told Russia’s Sputnik on Tuesday.

Similarly the US has accused the regime of inhibiting the liberation of Raqqa by attacking and blocking US-backed opposition forces surrounding the city.

Tensions between the opposing forces of the SDF and pro-regime fighters are only likely to increase in light of political negotiations over the country’s future that the United Nations hopes to reconvene next month.

Read: Russia vetoes UN extension of gas attack probe in Syria