April 22, 2019 - 10:23 AMT
Syrian army eliminates fleeing IS fighters in eastern Deir ez-Zor

A group of Islamic State militants were caught by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) attempting to flee the Baghouz Mountain region in eastern Deir ez-Zor over the weekend, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to a report from Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Arab Army opened fire on the fleeing Islamic State fighters, killing and wounding most of them before they could reach a safe area along the western bank of the Euphrates River.

The report said the Islamic State militants that holed up in the Baghouz Mountain are becoming desperate as they are cutoff from all supply lines and under constant attack by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Despite their dire situation in eastern Deir ez-Zor, these Islamic State militants have refused to surrender themselves to the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The Islamic State fighters at the Baghouz Mountain have repeatedly tried to break out in order to reach friendly lines in western Deir ez-Zor; however, with both the Syrian Arab Army and Syrian Democratic Forces deeply embedded around the Euphrates River, these escape attempts have become suicide missions for the militants.