The Syrian army battled ISIL on the edges of Deir Ezzor Monday, seeking to break the siege of a government enclave and oust the extremists from a key stronghold.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Syrian army is advancing toward the besieged city of Deir Ezzor with the assistance of the Russian aviation.

The Syrian government forces have driven ISIL terrorists out of strategic positions on the Palmyra-Deir Ezzor highway, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

“Syrian army’s units conducting the offensive from the direction of as-Sukhnah [city in the Raqqa province], have driven ISIL terrorists out from positions they had controlled on the highway from Palmyra to Deir Ezzor.”

The ministry added that the Syrian Armed Force’s group conducting the operation to free Deir Ezzor has advanced 8 kilometers over the past 24 hours and captured 2 strategic heights in the region.

“Two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, over 10 off-road vehicles equipped with heavy arms have been destroyed as a result of the [Russian] airstrikes. Terrorists lost a total of 70 fighters who were killed or injured,” the Russian ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the victory over ISIL terrorists in Deir Ezzor and the lifting of the city’s siege “will become the strategic loss of the international terrorist group in the Syrian Arab Republic.”

Provincial governor Mohamed Ibrahim Samra, quoted by state news agency SANA, said besieged residents were already celebrating as the army neared.

“Yesterday Deir Ezzor city saw celebrations and rejoicing among all segments of society ahead of the expected victory with the advance of the Syrian Arab Army to the outskirts of the besieged city,” he said.