Fierce clashes are ongoing between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and ISIS fighters on the road between the town of Tabqa, the city of Raqqa, and the Tabqa Military Airbase where SDF fighters have repelled and ISIS attack on their positions between Tabqa and Raqqa.
The US-backed force managed to capture the road lying between the two ISIS strongholds earlier this week. Scores of militants had been killed and their weapons confiscated, according to pro-SDF sources.
An official in the ranks of the SDF confirmed that the Kurdish-led coalition is resuming its advance in the area in full swing aiming to besiege Tabqa before storming it. He also added that the operations will try to avoid the Tabqa Dam because of a threat to deliver a critical damage to this facility.
From its side, ISIS’s official news agency Amaq declared that the terror group had destroyed an armored bulldozer belonging to the SDF around the village of Tal Al-Samman in Raqqa’s northern countryside.
Amaq additionally claimed that 9 civilians had been killed by two US airstrikes in the villages of Córdoba and Al-Mansoura in northwestern Raqqa.
The SDF seeks to capture Tabqa and the nearby area prior to launching its final push to Raqqa, the capital of the self-proclaimed caliphate.
ABORTION RIGHTS FOR TABQA! HOORAY!
They’ll run out into the streets with the cigarettes and booze they kept hidden and have a party.
In other words, the U.S. is fighting itself in Syria.
SDF are probably saving up for an offensive on the town of Nasir in the East.
Looks like the SDF may roll down both sides of the river to capture the other dam and highway junction at Al-Mansoura. That may draw enough Daesh fighters away from the villages along the south bank of the Euphrates to prompt the SDF to cross over east of Raqqa to block further traffic to and from Deir Azzor. I haven’t read anything lately about Daesh convoys getting wasted from above while travelling down the open desert roads. Perhaps they’re out of trucks and now are running around in cars and minivans?