Fighters in Syria who have overthrown former President Bashar al-Assad say they have taken full control of the eastern city of Deir Az Zor, after clashes with Kurdish-led forces who briefly held it after pro-government soldiers fled.
Commander Hassan Abdul Ghani, spokesman for the advancing forces, announced the takeover of Deir Az Zor in a post on Telegram saying the city and its military airport are fully “liberated”.
In a follow-up statement on Wednesday, Ghani said the fighters “are continuing to advance in the areas and towns of Deir Az Zor countryside”.
The capture is the latest in a string of victories for the coalition of opposition forces who seized several cities – including the capital, Damascus – in an 11-day blitz.
On Sunday, al-Assad fled the country after the rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS), closed in on Damascus.
Al-Assad’s Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali has since agreed to transfer power to an HTS-led transitional government, headed by Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) held Deir Az Zor city for several days after Syrian government forces, which previously controlled areas of it, withdrew.
The SDF still control eastern sections of the governorate, across the Euphrates river, where the coalition fighters say they are advancing.
The power struggle in Deir Az Zor, which was a critical battleground in the fight against ISIL (ISIS) from 2014-2017, comes after rebel forces also wrested control of Kurdish-led forces in the northern city of Manbij.
On Wednesday, the SDF confirmed that the United States, which backs the group, had mediated a ceasefire agreement between it and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) faction there.
Under the deal, aimed to ensure the protection of civilians, the Kurdish-led SDF agreed to “withdraw from the area as soon as possible”, said commander Mazloum Abdi, also known as Mazloum Kobani.
