In the days since the Syrian Arab Army broke the Islamic State group's three-year long hold on the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, the atmosphere has been one of excitement and high morale as the first convoys of food and medical supplies are beginning to enter the formerly besieged city.
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On Thursday, a 30 truck convoy arrived in the city carrying food, medicine, books, health supplies, and educational materials for schools, Syrian news-agency SANA reported. For three years since the so-called Islamic State group surrounded the city, the only access to its residents was by air-drops.
The Syrian Arab Army, under the government led by President Bashar al-Assad, was able to break the seige this week after a series of successful offensives overwhelmed one of the last major strongholds of the Islamic State group in Syria.
The Deir ez-Zor governor, Muhammed Ibrahim Samra, told RT that when the troops arrived on September 5th, “excitement was at its peak, and victory was achieved,” adding that all the people in the city had been “waiting for this moment.”
“The city was suffering in darkness,” the governor said. There was “no electricity, no diesel and no gas. There was a shortage of healthcare staff too, and very few surgeons.”
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The Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria is also arranging for humanitarian aid supplies to be sent to the city, along with medical teams.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the region himself on Thursday along with several army commanders, congratulating the soldiers on a successful victory and praising their “steadfastness, sacrifices and heroism,” SANA reported.
Although the seige was lifted, the fight is not over. On Thursday Islamic State group terrorists attacked a neighborhood in Deir ez-Zor with mortar shells, killing seven and injuring over two dozen others.
Syrian Arab Army troops are still working in the province to defend it from remaining Islamic State group members to restore “stability and security.” Army units backed by Syrian and Russian air-forces continue to make progress eliminating remaining terrorist cells that remain in the countryside, mostly toward the western side of Deir ez-Zor city, according to SANA.