Informed local sources said that the Russian forces, in cooperation with a number of its affiliated militias, launched a large-scale military campaign against ISIS cells in the desert, following a meeting with local militia leaders.

The local "Ain al-Furat" website said that the campaign began after a meeting held by Russian officers in the village of "Al-Sukariah" in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, which was attended by the so-called "Ali Ahmed Al-Alawi", the commander of the militia of the Taha Regiment "Al-Tahat", and the so-called "Hussein Al-Satam", who he is the right-hand man of "Hussam al-Qaterji", the leader of "Qaterji" militia, in addition to military officers from the "Tiger" militia.

The website added that the military operation started from the village of "Rasm al-Nafl" in the southern countryside of Aleppo, all the way to the vicinity of the Russian base in Al-Thawra oil field in the southern countryside of Al-Raqqa.

The new sweep campaign includes elements of the Russian forces, led by the Mine, Land and IED Engineering Battalion, the Russian Land Elite Battalion, and a number of snipers. The number of Russian forces participating in the campaign is approximately 130 Russian elements.

The new campaign, according to Al-Hadath website, is attended by 30 Syrian armored vehicles, 20 vehicles for transporting soldiers, and 5 vehicles carrying devices that detect landmines and IEDs, and the number of militia members supported by the Russian forces has reached approximately 350 members.

The number of heavy vehicles is about 9 tanks, 12 cannons, and 6 missile launchers, and the convoy is accompanied by two Russian helicopters.

Russian forces and Iranian militias carry out combing campaigns from time to time to protect the oil fields and hunt down ISIS members.