Into the East: Deir Ezzor diary part 1, The Road to Deir Ezzor

By: Janice Kortkamp

Date: October 21, 2017

It was an unforgettable journey into the heart of eastern Syria where ISIS has been terrorizing the people for five years.

The cities of Ar Raqqa, Al Mayadeen, most of Deir Ezzor and the villages and countrysides surrounding them were invaded and occupied by the terrorist group early in the war after first suffering attacks and occupation by the “Free Syrian Army” and Al Qaeda . The three cities served as major headquarters/capitals for them.

Thanks to the victories of the Syrian Army and allies, much of the region is now liberated from the monsters who came in from Iraq and were strengthened by many tens of thousands of fighters from over 100 other countries, with new ground gained almost daily in brutal fighting.

ISIS is everywhere though and continues to attack, often with the help of the American led coalition. Yes, that is what I said. The US and our allies are contributing to ISIS efforts still, hiding behind a propaganda mask of fighting them. It’s all lies.

The approximately 350km road from Damascus to Deir Ezzor is long. Going from Homs to Palmyra is about 150km and is safe but the final half is still dangerous. It is often attacked by ISIS fighters and it’s difficult for the Army to completely defend that 200km stretch of barren frontier. The week before our small group of independent journalists/activists traveled it, there was a major attack.

After Homs the terrain becomes more desert-like though before the war it had great swaths of green thanks to underground aquifers. Still outside Homs on the road are large orchards of olives and almonds. There was a lonely outpost, a small market, that reminded me of the trading posts of the Old West in America, where I grew up in Arizona.

Stopped for drinks and to stretch out legs before continuing to Palmyra.

Palmyra (also known as Tadmor) was a vibrant town before the war. The world famous archaeological site drew millions of visitors and scholars from around the world. Cafes, shops, hotels, museum … it was a civilized, cultured place. Before the “Free Syrian Army”, then Al Qaeda, then finally ISIS came, ancient treasures were on display for everyone to study and enjoy. After the black flags took over, Palmyra’s expert curator and protector, Dr. Khaled Asaad, was taken hostage, tortured, beheaded and his body displayed instead of the local treasures of civilization.

Now it’s a ghost town with very few civilians. The Syrian Army, Russia, and Hezbollah protect it from getting retaken by the barbarians.

We made a quick stop there to get gas and one of the group spoke with a Hezbollah soldier. If you still think Hezbollah is a terrorist group you should talk with Syrians. Hezbollah fighters have sacrificed themselves saving Christians and Muslims alike, helping to save civilization here.

As we headed out to the road from Palmyra to Deir Ezzor, the soldier said, “Only God can protect you.” Sobering words for our already cautious group but the many Army checkpoints and military vehicles as well as trucks transporting goods helped me to know my trust in the Syrian Army and allies was well placed and I felt honestly and remarkably at ease given the situation.

200km of moon like landscape, was beautiful and stark and sadly dotted with the carnage of war: burned out trucks, busses and cars; destroyed and deserted villages and towns; military outposts and tanks also and was very thankful for them all and prayed for those guys, asking God to protect them.

In one place we had to off-road it thru a small village because of a bridge that had been bombed. Many bridges are damaged and often you drive over on one side because the other side is just a huge hole.

Finally we got to the check point to enter Deir Ezzor city and that was when we were told Syria’s hero (and ours), General Zahereddine had died just moments before.

“Welcome to Deir Ezzor,” the soldiers said. There is endless heartbreak there but now much hope as well after the Syrian Army and allies broke the three year ISIS seige of the city. Now it is ISIS that is under siege. In the words of many people we spoke to in our time there, “For years we’ve been dead and now we are alive again.”