The Kurdish forces are making attempts to advance in the oil-reach province of Deir Ezzor. They have already captured the Maliha oil field and the Juweif oil station. However, Kurdish units failed to capture the Kabibah oil field and recently losed the village of Qashqash.
At the moment, the frontline is stablisied. It’s hard to expect that the YPG (SDF) will be able to achieve any significant gains in the province. The recent developments show that the Kurds aren’t able to counter ISIS in an open war when ISIS forces aren’t drawn to other fronts. Moreover, the US has depoyed more special forces to Syria in order to launch the long-awaited “Kurdish” offensive in Raqqa.
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Map by Agathocle deSyracuse
To attack an entrenched enemy, one needs an advantage of 3 to one and heavy weapons. Part of this can be compensated by CAS.
This is why the SDF is better in holding areas than taking them in case of lack of CAS.
This is also why SDF will not attack Raqqa because taking the heavy casualties without any benefit to the SDF other then a “victory” for Obama and no gains for the SDF is not what will motivate ordinary fighters being asked to maybe die.
For connecting the cantons, for the betterment of the Rojavans, for liberating the kurds and related arabs in the Azaz Yarablus corridor, yes, most likely. Not just for an empty gain for a going away president who does not care for them one cent.