Militants from Daesh have attacked a refugee camp in Syria’s town of Al-Bahra and captured 130 families totaling 700 people, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko, head of the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation, said Monday.
“Taking advantage of complete impunity, Daesh militants attacked a refugee camp in the Al-Bahra area on October 13, capturing 130 families of about 700 people, and transporting them to Hajin,” Savchenko said at a news briefing.
The general stressed that the abducted civilians were de-facto taken hostage and could be used by terrorists as a “human shield” to protect the militants from the possible attack by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advancing towards the last Daesh-occupied areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.
Passive conduct by the US-led coalition’s allies allowed militants to gain control over 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) of Syrian territory along the eastern bank of the Euphrates, the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria also said.
“As a result of the inaction of pro-US forces, the terrorists managed to establish full control over the strip along the eastern bank of the Euphrates River stretching about 20 kilometers between the settlements of Hajin and as-Susah,” Lt. Gen. Vladimir Savchenko, head of the center, said.
“Despite the US side’s statements about the victory over Daesh in Syria, the terrorists still retain control over certain areas of the country. At the same time, the US-led international coalition and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces units subordinated to the Pentagon continue to imitate the fight against Daesh in the south of the Deir ez-Zor province,” he added.