| Deir ez-Zor offensive (2024) | |||||||||||
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| Part of theDeir ez-Zor Governorate campaign,2024 Syrian opposition offensive and theEastern Syria insurgency in theSyrian civil war | |||||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||||
 Syrian Democratic ForcesSupported by:  CJTF–OIR United States |  Syrian Arab Republic  Supported by:  Russia(until 30 November) Iran(until 6 December) |  Islamic State[1] |  Syrian opposition(since 9 December) | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||||
Islamic Resistance in Iraq | Military of the Islamic State | Al-Busraya Revolutionaries[11][12][13]Burkan al-Furat[14] | |||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||||
| 10 killed[a] |  12 killed[b] 2 killed[c] | 2 killed[15] 18 arrested (SDF claim)[16][17] | Several protesters killed (allegedly)[6] | ||||||||
| 1 civilian killed[d] | |||||||||||
In the days leading up to and during the2024 Syrian opposition offensives, several military clashes involvingISIS cells,Syrian rebel forces,Ba'athist Syrian government forces, and US-led international coalition forces involving theUnited Kingdom,France,Jordan,Turkey,Canada,Australia, and others, occurred inDeir ez-Zor Governorate. These events prompted significant military responses from bothRussian forces and Assad regime's troops.
On 3 December 2024, theSyrian Democratic Forces (SDF), supported by theUS-ledCJTF–OIR coalition, launched an offensive on pro-government forces in the easternDeir ez-Zor region.[18][9]
After the territorial collapse of theIslamic Statein early 2019, the group's fighters began aninsurgency in eastern Syria. What followed was a long series of ISIS attacks and raids against both SDF and SAA forces.[19]
In late November 2024 aHTS-led coalition launched acountry wide offensive against government forces. The Syrian opposition managed to advance into theHoms Governorate heading east in the direction of Deir ez-Zor by early December.[20] At the same time, the US-backedFree Syrian Army from theAl-Tanf area managed tocapture Palmyra on 7 December.[21]
 | This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: wordy and possibly redundant see talk. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2025) |
ISIS cells killed a member of theSDF and injured others at a security checkpoint on 17 November.[22] Two days later, aUnited States Air Force strike onIranian-aligned militia compounds in Al-Qoriya Desert, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, killed five militia troops. Additional operations targeted militia positions inAl-Quriyah,Mayadin, andAl-Asharah, following an Iranian missile impact near theirAl-Shaddadi base inAl-Hasakah Governorate. Earlier in November, the US-led international coalition conducted four live-ammunition exercises at theAl-Omar Oil Field base, their largest Syrian installation, and another at theAl-Tanf base near the Syria-Iraq-Jordan border area.[23][24]
On 21 November, ISIS conducted an IED attack which killed two SDF fighters and injured 12 others in Deir Ezzor.[25] On 23 November, ISIS cells ambushed aSyrian Arab Army (SAA) position in Al-Bushri desert, killing a lieutenant and soldier. ISIS cells also ambushed a position in the Al-Ma'ezalyah area of theAbu Kamal desert, killing two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps troops and injuring two other soldiers.[26] On 24 November, ISIS operatives attacked and killed two SDF fighters and severely injured one after detonating a road land mine in Ghariba Al-Sharqiya Village within the Al-Sawr district of northern Deir ez-Zor.[27] On 25 November, ISIS operatives conducted two separate attacks in western Deir ez-Zor Governorate. The first incident involved ISIS members on motorcycles engaging in an armed confrontation withAl-Asayish Internal Security Forces along Al-Khorafy Road nearAbu Khashab. While the encounter involved machine gun fire, no casualties were reported. In a separate incident on the same day, ISIS militants conducted a fatal attack near Al-Makman, resulting in the death of an oil tank driver.[28]
In response, Russian air forces executed multiple precision strikes against ISIS desert positions on 27 November 2024. These operations targeted specific locations including Al-Boshra Mountain in western Deir ez-Zor and positions withinAl-Rasafa in theAl-Raqqa countryside.[29] On the same day, gunmen of ISIS cells fired upon a SDF checkpoint located in Al-Hawayej Town withmachine guns.[30] The following day, ISIS operatives riding a motorcycle fired automatic weapons at the first brigade of theSelf-Defense Forces in Al-Jurthi town, located in eastern Deir ez-Zor province, resulting in return fire with no known casualties.[31] A US-led international coalition military exercise involvingfighter jets took place at the United States military base at the Koniko gas field in northern Deir ez-Zor. These exercises generated notable acoustic signatures in the surrounding area due to the intensity of the operations.[32] On 29 November, unidentified aircraft conducted precision strikes against positions associated with Iranian-aligned forces in the Ma'izila Desert region ofAbu Kamal, situated along theIraq–Syria border.[33]
Iranian-aligned militias significantly expanded their military presence and security operations in Abu Kamal amid heightened regional tensions and following U.S. military actions against militia positions in the region. The militias established new checkpoint systems at the city's entry and exit points, with increased patrol activities in secondary streets.[10]
Notable reinforcements arrived from several affiliated groups, includingHezbollah Iraq, thePopular Mobilization Forces, and theFatemiyoun militia, concentrating their presence in the Al-Thalathaat region near the Iraq-Syria border. The deployed forces conducted nocturnal training exercises, including live-fire drills directed toward desert areas in preparation for potential military actions from forces stationed at the Al-Tanf base hosting international coalition forces. The reinforcements followed a 27 NovemberU.S. Central Command precision strike against a militia weapons storage facility in Syria.[10]
On 30 November, Russian forces executed a coordinated withdrawal of military equipment and personnel from multiple headquarters across the Seven Villages area, relocating these assets to Deir ez-Zor city. The withdrawal encompassed positions in Al-Husseiniyah,Al-Salihiyah,Hatla, Mrat, Mazloum,Khasham, andTabiyet Jazira, all situated on the eastern bank of theEuphrates.[34] The withdrawal prompted strategic responses from multiple actors, including the SDF, which consolidated its forces in the industrial zones adjacent to the affected area. US-led international coalition forces, operating from Koniko Gas Field, conducted artillery operations targeting positions in Marrat and Khasham towns within the Seven Villages region.[35] The General Security Directorate was able to arrest an ISIS emir in the town of Al-Izba, north of Deir ez-Zor. The emir was responsible for several recent bombings and assassinations in the town.[36]
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), launched an offensive on pro-government forces near the towns ofKhasham andAl-Salihiyah in the eastern Syrian province ofDeir ez-Zor on 3 December. They managed to capture the village of Al-Hussainiyah.[18]CJTF–OIR coalition aircraft provided support to the SDF, by targeting Iran-backed militias in the region.[9] An SDF fighter and a civilian were killed in clashes with SAA.[37] The SDF claimed to have captured the 7 villages under SAA control on the east bank of the Euphrates; Salhiya, Tabiya, Hatla, Khasham, Marat, Mazloum, and Husseiniya, and were incorporating them into theDeir ez-Zor Military Council.[2] A US airstrike killed six SAA soldiers near Deir ez-Zor airport.[38]
Two days later, the SDF captured the Thawra oil field, the town ofResafa and strategic locations near Safyan, and Anbaj areas, located in theRaqqa Governorate, following the withdrawal of pro-government forces.[39] The next day, pro-government forces also began withdrawing from the cities ofDeir ez-Zor,Mayadin,Al-Quriyah andAbu Kamal, towards the capitalDamascus.[40] Shortly after the government withdrawal, SDF forces crossed theEuphrates river to enter the city of Deir ez-Zor and took full control of it by the end of the day. Further south, the SDF also seized Abu Kamal near the Iraqi border.[41]
Anti-SDF protests erupted inDeir ez-Zor calling for theSyrian transitional government to take control over the city.[6] Arab elements within the SDF reportedly started to defect to theFateh Mubin operations room.[42] On 10 December, the opposition announced the capture of border city of Abu Kamal.[43] To avoid a major confrontation between the SDF and HTS, the SDF forces pulled back to the right side of the Euphrates river bank.This resulted in full HTS-led control of Deir ez-Zor city by the end of 11 December.[44][45][46]
A SDF fighter was killed by ISIS attack in Deir Ezzor on 17 December.[47] On the same day, two SDF fighters were killed and four others wounded byISIS attack on checkpoint inAl-Raqqa.[48][49] On 20 December, twoISIS fighters were killed in aUS airstrike in Deir Ezzor.[50]
On 20 January 2025, local gunmen crossed the Euphrates and attacked SDF checkpoints and headquarters in the towns ofDiban andAbu Hamam.[51] The group later pledged allegiance to thetribal led by Sheikh Ibrahim al Hafl, who has called for an Arab uprising against the SDF.[52] In response, the SDF engaged the tribal fighters and sent additional reinforcements fromAl-Hasakah towards Deir ez-Zor. At the end of the next day, the SDF successfully reclaimed all lost positions.[53][54] The following week the SDF launched a security operation resulting in several arrests.[55]
