Following a series of campaigns between 2016 and 2017 targeting ISIL's territory, by the American-led CJTF-OIR coalition and SDF, the Syrian government and allied forces, and Turkey, along with the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, the remnants of ISIL's forces west of the Euphrates River withdrew into a large pocket in the Syrian Desert, stretching between the western Homs Governorate and the eastern Deir ez-Zor Governorate, from where they utilized guerrilla tactics to target pro-government forces.