Syrian army flushes Islamic State out of strategic volcanic region (video)

 October 10, 2018 - 18:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - A video posted online by Sputnik, shows Syrian government forces flushing out the remaining militants from the rocky Tulul al-Safa area.

The natural rocky fortifications created by the lava once belched by an ancient volcano and precipitation are ideal for guerrilla warfare. Because the terrain is off limits to vehicles, soldiers are scouring every rock, cave and underground tunnel where militants might be hiding.

According to legend, Tulul as-Safa is exactly the place where the biblical Sodom and Gomorrah once stood before they were destroyed by fire and brimstone.

Indeed, archaeologists have found hundreds of human skeletons inside the huge basalt layers who were literally incinerated by a sudden volcanic eruption.

The Syrian Army has been fighting in the Suwayda Desert in an effort to liberate the area from Daesh militants.

Routed in the open, the jihadists gathered in the local mountains setting up arms caches and storing up food and water.

The ancient dormant volcano offered ideal natural cover for the militants who were hiding in the crevices.

Syrian aviation then entered the fray bombing out the jihadist positions.

After their sources of water supply were seized by advancing government forces, the militants started abandoning their positions without a fight.