On Thursday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stormed Al-Jazra district in the western part of Raqqa after it managed yesterday to capture Tal Hergel and the villages of Al-Jazra and Al-Rabee’. According to opposition sources, the SDF hasn’t yet been able to capture more than 500 meters in Al-Mashlab district in the eastern part of the city.
مشاهد مباشرة من #معركة_الرقة و تقدم #قوات_سوريا_الديمقراطية داخل حي #المشلب pic.twitter.com/wZWHzZjcSm
— قوات سوريا من الجبهة (@QSD_Jabha) 8 June 2017
Clashes are ongoing in the vicinity of the 17th Division base north of Raqqa city. Pro-SDF sources claim that the SDF has taken the whole area of the base. According to SDF sources, 75 ISIS fighters have been killed during the Battle of Raqqa so far.
#قوات_سوريا_الديمقراطية تتقدم من الشرق بحي المشلب و غربا بحي الجزرة في #الرقة و تضيق الخناق على مرتزقة #داعش المتحصنين في المدينة pic.twitter.com/GUyUMqCtML
— قوات سوريا من الجبهة (@QSD_Jabha) 8 June 2017
ISIS fighters targeted a gathering of Kurdish fighters with an ATGM in the village of Raqqa Samra in the eastern Raqqa countryside.
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
According to local sources, many ISIS fighters and commanders withdrew from Raqqa city towards the Syrian desert.
Yesterday, the US-led coalition carried out over 10 airstrikes on ISIS targets inside Raqqa city. Over 100 artillery shells hit targets insdie and outside the city. The US Marines Artillery targeted ISIS fortifications at the 17th Division base.
Click to see the full-size image
Meanwhile, SDF announced that two new groups of Arab and Kurdish fighters had completed their training in camps in Al-Hasakah and Minbij and would join the Battle of Raqqa.
Hasakah camp:
المئات من المقاتلين الجدد العرب والاكراد يكملون دوراتهم التدريبية وينضمون لحملة “غضب الفرات” وعمليات تحرير الرقة pic.twitter.com/TJf4DE3dpk
— قوات سوريا من الجبهة (@QSD_Jabha) 8 June 2017
Manbij camp:
المئات من المقاتلين العرب والاكراد يكملون تدريباتهم في #منبج ويتوجهون للمعركة ضد تنظيم #داعش ضمن فصائل قوات #قسد#الحسكة#دير_الزور pic.twitter.com/iWnuUbw9kI
— قوات سوريا من الجبهة (@QSD_Jabha) 7 June 2017
Without american air power, kurdish fighter are just cannon fodder.
Taking Raqqa where ISIS geared up for a last stand a fight to the death, it’s still badass (even with American air support) to take that city away from ISIS. This is no ragtag army with the Kurds. I would nervous if I was Erdogan too. They cant take over Turkey but they can defend their areas in a pesky and effective way.
The problem with the sdf is that they switch sides faster than you switch goats.
Without reliable, able bodied and courageous forces on the ground to take and hold territory….American air power would be an annoyance…. but the combined force….air and land….will throw ISIS out in the desert like cock roaches running from the light.