According to pro-government sources, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) Tiger Forces and their allies have crossed the Euphrates River near Mayadin city and captured the village of Tybian on the Euphrate’s western bank.
Tybian is located south of the strategic Omar oil fields, one of the biggest in Syria.
Initial reports that the SAA crossed the Euphrates appeared on October 17. Then pro-government sources were speculating that the SAA entered Diban and Ruqayb near Tybian.
If the developments are confirmed, they can be described as a start of the SAA advance on the Omar oil fields.
This advance is likely linked with the recent sucess of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the city of Raqqah on which the SDF established almost a full control after a withdrawal of Syrian ISIS members. Soon, the SDF would be able to deploy reinforcements to Deir Ezzor province and to launch an expected push towards the Iraqi border. It looks that the SAA reacts to this scenario.