5 , ▁the ▁road ▁Al ▁Q a im ▁– ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁– ▁May adin ▁– ▁De ir ▁ez - Z or ▁was ▁blocked ▁after ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁a irst rik es ▁conducted ▁by ▁Russian ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 ▁to ▁ 4 ▁November ▁ 6 ▁Russian ▁Tu - 2 2 M 3 ▁strateg ic ▁bom bers ▁conducted ▁a irst rik es ▁on ▁I SI L ▁objects ▁near ▁Ab u ▁Kam al . ▁On ▁November ▁ 7 ▁the ▁S AA ▁started ▁operation ▁to ▁take ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁with ▁support ▁of ▁al lied ▁forces , ▁like ▁the ▁Iran ian - back ed ▁He z bol lah ▁and ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁Revolution ▁Guard ▁Corps ▁( IR GC ). ▁On ▁ 9 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁I SI L ▁retre ated ▁from ▁the ▁town , ▁leaving ▁f igh ters ▁dispers ed ▁in ▁villages ▁and ▁small ▁towns ▁in ▁the ▁desert . ▁Army ▁sp okes man ▁Gen . ▁Ali ▁May hou b ▁stated : ▁ ″ The ▁liber ation ▁of ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁is ▁of ▁great ▁importance ▁because ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁declaration ▁of ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁this ▁group ’ s ▁project ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁generally ▁and ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁its ▁supp or ters ’ ▁ill us ions ▁to ▁divide ▁it , ▁control ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁Sy ria - I ra q ▁borders ▁and ▁secure ▁supply ▁routes ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries . ″ One ▁day ▁later ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁force ▁grouping ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁Colonel ▁General ▁Serge i ▁Su