Deir ez-Zor

U.S.-led coalition air strikes killed dozens of Syrian soldiers on Sept. 17, endangering a U.S.-Russian brokered cease-fire and prompting an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting as tensions between Moscow and Washington escalated. 

The Islamic State and the Levant (ISIL) militants attacked Syrian army troops with mustard gas in an offensive against a Syrian military airport in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor that borders Iraq, state media said on late April 4. 

The Syrian army's successes and its strong support from Russia will help accelerate a political settlement to the country's civil war, President Bashar al-Assad said, as the two allies maintained an offensive against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) suffered a double setback in Syria on March 25 as army troops recaptured the ancient citadel in Palmyra and the Pentagon said the jihadists' second-in-command was killed in a U.S. raid.

Syrian troops backed by Russian warplanes on March 24 advanced into the ancient city of Palmyra, which has been under jihadist control for nearly a year, a monitor and a military source said.

Syrian state television said government forces fought their way into Palmyra on March 24 as the army backed by Russian air cover sought to recapture the historic city from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.

The United Nations carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid to the Syrian city of Deir al-Zor on Feb. 24, U.N. aid chief Stephen O'Brien said, delivering 21 tons of relief to civilians besieged by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.

The United Nations should be able to deliver aid to all of Syria's 18 besieged areas within a week, a senior U.N. official said Feb. 18, after life-saving supplies reached five locations.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) late on Jan. 19 released 270 of more than 400 civilians it had abducted during its assault on the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, a monitor said.

Islamic State militants have reportedly slaughtered up to 280 people in the Deir ez-Zor province for alleged cooperation with the Syrian troops.

Local residents told Sputnik news agency the killings carried out in al-Bagilya settlement which received Russian airlifted aid earlier.