The Syrian Arab Army Tiger Forces have entered the province of Raqqah after liberating a large area south of Maskanah. With this advance, the Tiger Forces reached the area controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near the town of Tabqah.
According to some experts, government forces will likely continue developing momentum toward the Ithriyah-Raqqa road from the direction of Maskanah. Thus, the SDF may be pushed to further advance against ISIS south of Raqqah in order to prevent the Syrian army from reaching the ISIS self-proclaimed capital from this direction. This would prevent ISIS terrorists from redeploying from Raqqah to other frontlines against government forces.
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great move by the saa.now the kurds have 2 choices. to take Raqqah asap or leave it to the SAA. either way the SAA wins. If the sdf takes Raqqah its a huge victory for everyone. If not….i dont think the US will let them. the propaganda victory scenes for the media are ready. so they will have to close the road to the SAA from the south. the same thing they did in the northwest. that way the isis fighters that are still in the city (if any) will be trapped like mice
The U.S. may be stubborn about giving up their Tabqa Air Base war booty. I could see our military leaders declaring another nonsense ‘deconfliction zone’ around the base and threatening the SAA if they get much closer.
The SAA should just go around Raqqa/SDF to the south and continue on down the Euphrates to Deir EzZor. There’s little reason for the SAA to get mired in a long campaign in Raqqa if it was encircled completely and cut off. Given the Kurd’s reluctance to die for Raqqa and the U.S. desire to stop the SDF from moving down the Euphrates, they may pull the SDF out of Raqqa for just that reason. Besides, the U.S. has given their ISIS pals plenty of time to evacuate out of Raqqa for Deir EzZor, so I wonder how interested the U.S. is in taking Raqqa anymore.
Can the SAA head south from Maskanah. to Raqqa and/or Deir ez-Zur? Is there to be a fight between SAA and SDF? Are the vague reports of SAA artillery shelling and Syrian aircraft bombings on SDF areas true? If no fight then surely there won’t be an agreement to let the SAA pass through. The SDF and Americans gain no benefit from permitting SAA involvement in taking Raqqa.
There are no defined roads from the Maskanah area that bypass the main road that the SDF holds around Tabqa. Surely the SAA can’t contemplate a major offensive south supplied via dirt tracks and rough back roads. An advance northeast from Ithiriya to Raqqa might be possible. In any case the SAA cannot proceed to Raqqa until it works out a way to overcome these obstacles. I doubt that it can or even wants to….
Until now there was always a good cooperation between SAA and kurds. I would expect that SAA can pass SDF territory and advance against ISIS south of Raqqa. But if kurds are voting for an independent state (like the Iraqi kurds will do now), then we will soon have the next war in Syria. But this would just serve the US interests.
But also not :D A Kurdish state is a treath to Turkey, USA allied. Especially in Syria (Erdogan have best relation with Peshmerga). This is a very complex situation :D
I guess that Kurds will be soon kindly asked to leave the areas of the DAM. They really dont think they will take it just for shooting some poor bastards terrorists, do they? I hope not. It would be tottally delusional. And, of course, after ISIS is taken to the depths of hell, thei’ll be faced with 2 options: live in peace in a relativelly autonomous administration, but UNDER Syrian Flag, or be crushed by Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq… USA can’t do nothing about it.
Now, south in Ithryia direction. Semi-encircle ISIS as usual and made them retreat without fight by some areas.
Is more than sure that the SDF prevents the SAA continue to Raqqa, with that USA will prevent Syria to recover its oil fields and the USA will keep them for themselves
The SDF and the SAA recently cooperated in Manbij to block the Turks , it is not unreasonable for the SAA to communicate with the SDF that the Tiger Forces have been redeployed to Deir Ezzor , and that they will pass through along that highway south of Raqqa , but not interfere , and proceed south to Deir Ezzor . That communication will be important in their future relationship . The joy of using that road , is it has only been used by ISIS lately , as “their escape road” , so it is not likely to be heavily mined . As well , it will reclaim the oil fields all the way along the river . Needless to say the US “overlords”, will be less than pleased , just the communication will be the signal of who is in control of the SDF . If necessary the SAA can just go around the small SDF territory between the dam and Raqqa .
From where the SAA line’s are on this map you would think they will try and take this advance right down down to the raqqa main rd !! That would be some amount of miles they would have got back if they do this which you believe they will in the next few weeks or before !!!