FILE IMAGE: sdf-press.com
On Thursday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that its fighters captured al-Suwar town in the northern Deir Ezzor countryside. The SDF said that its military engineers are now removing mines and IEDs planted by ISIS in the town.
Moreover, the SDF announced that it launched the 4th phase of its ongoing operation in the northern Deir Ezzor countryside and southern al-Hasakah countryside. According to the SDF, the aim of the 4th phase is to capture Markada town in the southern al-Hasakah countryside.
The SDF announced that its fighters already advanced 25km towards Markada town and captured Bir al-Nafakh village north of it. SDF fighters killed 5 ISIS fighters and captured an armored vehicle of ISIS during their advance.
Furthermore, the SDF said that its fighters repelled an attack of ISIS on its positions in al-Kubar village in the northwestern Deir Ezzor countryside. The SDF acknowledged that 5 of its fighters were killed during ISIS attack.
Meanwhile, the US-led collation supplied the SDF with another 200 trucks loaded with weapons and ammunition on September 28, according to Kurdish sources. The sources added that the trucks entered the SDF held areas in eastern Syria coming from the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
Many Kurdish sources claims that Markada town is the final goal of the SDF. However, the SDF will likely continue advancing to capture as much area as it can from ISIS before the SAA resumes its offensive in eastern Syria.
In a related development, the SDF announced that its fighters recaptured Raqqa Samra village east of Raqqa city on September 28. The SDF said that its fighters killed 16 ISIS fighters and captured 3 other while storming the village.
On September 25, a group of ISIS fighters managed to sneak into Raqqa Samra village and hold all civilians inside as hostages. Kurdish sources reported that ISIS fighters used SDF uniforms to foil the SDF checkpoint around the village.
