Syrian regime threatened to punish Syrian returnees

A member of the Syrian regime threatened on Monday to “hold accountable” any displaced Syrian, who returns to their homeland. Issam Zaherddine, commander of the Republican Guard of the Syrian regime in Deir al-Zour, said: “I hope that whoever fled Syria to another country would not return.” “We vow not to forgive or to forget. My advice, no one should come back,” he told official state television. Meanwhile, a commander in Lebanon’s “Hezbollah” declared in a televised appearance that the end of the blockade against Deir al-Zour was achieved through Russian and Iranian support, as well as the backing of “foreign fighters,” regime forces and “Hezbollah.” Abou Mustafa’s appearance marked the first for a party member in Syria, which is seen as a change in “Hezbollah’s” media policy. The group had never revealed the identity of any of its military commander since its formation in the 1980s. It usually reveals the names of commanders after their death. Abou Mustafa, the “Hezbollah” field commander in Deir al-Zour, did not appear on the group’s al-Manar television, but on the al-Mayadeen satellite channel, which is close to the party. He explained that he was able to appear on television through the approval of party chief Hassan Nasrallah. “The victory in Deir al-Zour would not have been possible without the Russian-Iranian-Syrian alliance,” he told al-Mayadeen. “Hezbollah,” he added, “is an integral part of an axis that extends from Iran to Iraq to Damascus, then Beirut and the Palestinian territories.” On the military side, Dozens of the Syrian army forces were either killed or wounded, on Monday, in car bomb blasts, in the southern countryside of Aleppo. Qasioun News Agency reported that Dozens of the army forces were either killed or wounded, in the explosion of a bus and a SUV vehicle, on Aleppo-Ithreya road, in the southern countryside of Aleppo. Meanwhile, IS-held Mu’tah News Agency stated that the IS group claimed responsibility of the explosion that targeted a bus and a SUV vehicle carrying members of the regime forces. However, media sources belonging to the Syrian government informed that the incident took place due to a collision between the two vehicles, while the published image of the bus shows that it was burned completely. It is noteworthy that Syrian regime forces are imposing their control over Ithreya-Khanaser road, in the southeastern countryside of Aleppo, where the Islamic State militants carry out several attacks against the regime forces. The self-proclaimed Islamic State group, on Monday, launched a violent attack on the Syrian army forces and managed to recapture several areas in the district of Uqayribat, in the eastern countryside of Hama. Qasioun News reported that the Islamic State attack was launched using booby-trapped vehicles, then the IS militants managed to regain control over Hanuteh and Mushrifah villages, east of Uqayribat area. Moreover, the Syrian government forces managed to seize Salaba Electric Power Station, located in eastern Salmeya District, after fierce battles with the Islamic State militants. Earlier this month, Syrian army forces retook Uqayribat Town, the main stronghold of the Islamic State in the east of Hama, after violent clashes and air strikes on the area. US-led coalition warplanes bombarded, yesterday, a military convoy belonging to the Syrian army, east of Deir Ezzor. Qasioun News reported that the international coalition warplanes bombarded a military convoy belonging to the Syrian army and allied militia, near al-Tayem oil field, east of Deir Ezzor, killing and wounding several army members, in addition to destroying armored vehicles. The air strike was conducted within the military operations taking place in Deir Ezzor since the beginning of this month, resulting in breaking the siege, which was imposed on the city. It is noteworthy that the international coalition warplanes have previously bombarded several convoys belonging to the Syrian army forces and allied militias in al-Shahmi area, in the Syrian Badiyah.