BATTLE OF DEIR EZZUR ENDS WITH ISIS DEFEAT

      One of the most protracted battles of the war against ISIS concluded this morning successfully. For the last two weeks it had been rumored that a decisive maneuver was about to be struck against Deir Ezzur, a strategic city in Eastern Syria which had been the site of pitched battles for nearly two years.

      Syrian President Assad announced just minutes ago that the city had been liberated and congratulated his army and its Allies, whose joint effort made today's victory possible. Details are still forthcoming; but approximately four hours ago, Russian warships launched a Kalibr Cruise Missile strike with pinpoint precision on the ISIS lines. The breach was filled with Syrian T-72 tanks, which rolled into the city followed by the Syrian 17th Infantry Division. Syrian commandoes had previously parachuted into the city and secured an airbase. The two units met at that point, and the Syrian flag raised.

      ISIS resistance is reportedly very light. It's not known at this writing whether the bulk of the Jihadists have surrendered, or whether they have evacuated the city. At any rate, Al Manar News Lebanon is reporting that residents of Deir Ezzur have poured into the streets and celebrations have erupted throughout the city without incident. The Iranian Media is reporting that the ISIS commanders deserted early in the fight.

      Prior to the war, Deir Ezzur was a city of about a quarter-million people. It was the heart of Syria's oil industry and also home to one of the country's main medical complexes. ISIS is known to have taken over both of these: selling oil on the Black Market in one sector while using the medical complex to manufacture Methamphetamines and perform hideous tortures and organ-harvesting operations.

      Militarily, Deir Ezzur was important because it commands the southern road into Raqqa---ISIS' capital and now the last-remaining major city under ISIS control.

      Deir Ezzur was also home to many Christians, especially of the Armenian Orthodox Church. The name 'Deir' is actually the Arab word for 'monastery' and refers to the historic ancient monasteries of the Desert Fathers who lived in that region in very ancient times. It's unknown as of now to what extent the ISIS barbarians ethnically cleansed the city. At one time, ISIS leaders officially changed the name of the city because of its Christian connotations.

       The scourge of ISIS, though, is one step closer to ultimate defeat.