On Tuesday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed up by the US-led coalition’s airpower, artillery and military advisers, made more gains against ISIS in the Raqqah countryside.
West of Raqqah, SDF units took control of al-Jaif village and advanced on Mazraat al-Andalus village. While little clashes were reported for al-Jaif, an intense firefight erupted in the outskirts of Mazraat al-Andalus, according to local sources.
East of Raqqah, the SDF captured the villages of Dahr al-Abdul and Badr aiming to seize Hamrat Buwaytiyah located at an important junction in the area.
If Hamrat Buwaytiyah is captured, SDF fighters will easily gain the nearby village of Hamrat Nasir also controlled by ISIS.
The noose is tightening, but not enough to start the assault of Raqqah city right now.
It will take a few weeks more for the SDF to be able to do that, assuming they got their heavier arms and were familiarized with them.
From what I’ve been reading elsewhere, there’s been a steady stream if disillusioned ISIS fighters and families surrendering to the SDF so going slow would be in their best interest. The deserters should be providing valuable details about defensive positions and their disappearance should have a negative effect on the remaining fighters, causing more to flee or better yet, turn their guns on the fanatics when the assault starts so they can surrender to the SDF.
ABORTION RIGHTS FOR RAQQA! YPJ! However it seems a bit early to be flooding. Though maybe they are trying to flood equipment and ammo stores that can be used in the suburbs. I also take it these villages are North of the river. If SDF advanced exclusively south of the river until surrounding Raqqa, it would do more for anti ISIS coalition building with Russia by discrediting accusations that SDF is pushing ISIS at Dier Ezzor instead of trying to defeat ISIS outright.