On Fridays, ISIS units attacked positions of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Al-Jazra district in the western part of the Raqqa city. ISIS claimed that 19 SDF fighters were killed during the clashes in the area.
Moreover, 11 other SDF fighters were reportedly killed after after two suicide attackers blew themselves up at SDF positions in Al-Jazra district.
ISIS also claimed that its snipers killed 2 SDF fighters in the Al-Farousiah area in northwestern Raqqa.
Meanwhile, ISIS attacked SDF gatherings in Al-Sahal village in the southwestern Raqqa countryside. A number of SDF fighters were killed and wounded after being targeted with two ATGMs.
US-led coalition warplanes continued bombing Raqqa city.
According to opposition sources, a father and his two children lost their life as a result of US-led coalition airstrikes on Raqqa City.
Opposition sources claimed that the SDF is still preventing displaced civilians who have from leaving the temporary camps in the SDF-held area. According to reports, the camps are experiencing very poor humanitarian conditions as a result of the ban imposed by the Kurdish leadership
The Opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) published photos of US Air Force Black Hawk helicopters flying over Raqqa city.
The SOHR claimed that the helicopter transported wounded US Special Operations Forces soldiers who were fighting alongside the SDF in Raqqa city.
From a purely strategic point of view a fierce resistance of ISIS in Raqqa will provide the time to SAA / Tiger Forces to bypass Raqqa and head towards Deir Ezzor. They could then secure the valuable oil fields. If Raqqa would fall quickly, the SDF would take Deir Ezzor next. It is still possible, that after the defeat of ISIS, the SDF will turn against the SAA or the kurds will demand an independent state with support of the USA. They won’t give up any territory that they conquered now from ISIS. Therefore it is also a race for land and preparation for the next step of this conflict.
Strategic point would be surround Raqqa City cut if off from Euphrates therefore preventing two things SAA (unlikely impossible anyway) and ISIS fleeing. Then advance into Deir ezzor countryside all the way to the Euphrates leaving everything on the other side to SAA and using river and border for each other. SAA would not mind this since majority of major cities/towns are below the Euphrates River like Maaydin, abu bukhumal, and Deir ezzor city itself.
Why should the syrian government make such a deal? They have to reinstall the sovereignity of the syrian government over the entire syrian territory. That includes all the SDF held territory.
i agree. in a strategic view also i believe that if US has assets within ISIS then i believe its just as easy for Assad, Russia and even Iran to have ISIS assets! id say that if this were true, then these assets would be used now to counter SDF movements around Raqqa and supply much needed intel of ISIS convoy’s leaving. i think that even the ISIS pocket in South west Syria helps the SAA and i believe that there would be Russian / Syrian assets there as well.
Any news about the dead ones? Would be of interest to hear.
USA/Nato is evacuating wounded ISIS terrorist to Jordan and Israel.
SOHR=”A guy in a London flat with some cell phone.” Even if he wanted to back to Syria and so real ‘observing’, he cannot. This expat is not welcome in his home country and hasn’t been for years.
I thought it was one man living above a shop in Coventry but I get your point.
When they are proud to say this “It is frequently quoted by major Western news media, such as Voice of America, Reuters, BBC, CNN and National Public Radio” …. you know it has to be crap.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to witness what exactly is inside of all these secretive flights by the US helos in and out of Raqqah. Personally I would like for them to reassure us that there are no ISUS personnel inside. Lol., I know it ain’t gonna happen.
Probably are best bet would be for Alex Jones to put out a call and ask one of the US solders flying in the Black Hawk’s to email Alex Jones some anonymous information about what is really going on. He need a guy on the inside who does not agree with everything the US is doing to help Israel break the backs of it’s neighbors in order to expand. http://ihr.org/
i think the better source for that would be julian assange.