You have commented 338 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Raqqa reconquest: SDF loses more than 20 while the Syrian army pushes toward the border of Deir Ezzor
2017-07-31
In pictures: ISIL unwilling to give up Raqqa City without a fight

[AlMasdar] The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are now on the second month of their Raqqa offensive and it appears the last half of the city is far more difficult to capture than initially expected.

Unlike previous battles around the country, the Islamic State (ISIL) is unwilling to yield any inch of Raqqa city’s southern sector, using everything in their arsenal to fight off the Syrian Democratic Forces that are pushing from several axes.

Most recently, the Islamic State has launched a large number of suicide attacks against the Syrian Democratic Forces, concentrating their efforts on inflicting as many casualties as they can on the opposing fighters.

In particular, the Islamic State launched a massive suicide attack on an SDF base in western Raqqa, killing more than 20 fighters, Al-‘Amaq News Agency claimed on Saturday.

With the battle heating up, it does not appear that the Islamic State is going to give-up the southern half of Raqqa, despite being outnumbered, outgunned, and surrounded.

Thousands of Syrian tribesmen take part in government offensive against ISIL

[AlMasdar] One of the key components in the battle against the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) has been the participation of Syrian tribesmen from the provinces of Al-Hasakah, Al-Raqqa, Homs, Damascus, and Hama governorates, Damascus Now reported Sunday morning.

These tribesmen have no only provided necessary manpower, but their navigation of the rural lands in central and eastern Syria has been paramount in the battle to regain these territories from the Islamic State and jihadist rebels.

In particular, the Raqqawi tribesmen aiding the Tiger Forces in southeast Al-Raqqa have played an integral role in guiding the government troops through the rural territory and even negotiating with other clans to join their cause.

With the battle for Deir Ezzor coming up soon, these tribal fighters will likely play an even more important role as the government seeks to expel the Islamic State from the country.

Syrian Army suffers its heaviest losses in latest push to Deir Ezzor

[AlMasdar] The battle for southeast Al-Raqqa has reached a critical point, as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) attempts to liberate the town of Ma’adan and enter the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

On Saturday, the Islamic State (ISIL) launched a big counter-attack against the Tiger Forces near the towns of Ghan Al-‘Ali and Shinan.

The terrorist group managed to drive back the Syrian Arab Army and even cutoff of their supply line to the aforementioned town, forcing the government to regroup to free the soldiers trapped by ISIL.

However, on Sunday morning, the Syrian Arab Army, alongside the Raqqawi tribes, conducted a successful counter-attack, freeing the troops that were cutoff from the government’s supply line.

As a result of this counter-attack, the Syrian Arab Army was able to advance into Ghan Al-‘Ali and seize at least 50 percent of the town – fierce clashes ongoing..

According to a military source in the area, the Syrian Arab Army lost over 40 soldiers during the Islamic State’s counter-attack, as the terrorist group’s 10+ suicide attacks caught the government off guard.

Sunday’s losses are the highest casualty toll the Syrian Arab Army has witnessed during the battle in southeast Al-Raqqa.

Syrian Army’s attack in southeast Raqqa pays off as they score big advance

[AlMasdar] The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has been immersed in a fierce battle with the Islamic State (ISIL) forces in the Al-Raqqa Governorate’s southeastern countryside this weekend, resulting in significant losses for all parties involved.

However, the Syria Arab Army finally scored a major advance on Sunday when their forces broke-through the enemy’s front-lines and liberated three towns near the terrorist group’s stronghold of Ma’adan.

According to a military source, the Syrian Arab Army’s Tiger Forces liberated the towns of Ghanem Al-‘Ali, Jabilah, and Al-Rabiyah near the Euphrates River this afternoon.

With this latest advance in the southeastern countryside of Al-Raqqa, the Syrian Arab Army is now making preparations to attack Ma’adan in the coming days, as the Islamic State continues to retreat south.

Syrian Army reaches northern Deir Ezzor for the first time in years: map

[AlMasdar] The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has reached the the northern border of the Deir Ezzor Governorate for the first time in several years after liberating three villages near the Islamic State (ISIL) held town of Ma’adan.

Following a tumultuous 24 hours that saw both the government lose more than 40 soldiers during the Islamic State’s counter-offensive near Ghanem Al-‘Ali, the Syrian Arab Army struck against the terrorist forces to reestablish a supply line to the aforementioned town.

Unable to hold their ground, the Islamic State militants were forced to withdraw from Ghanem Al-‘Ali, Al-Rabiyah, and Al-Jabilah after the Syrian Army fractured their main line of defense.

With their forces descending upon Ma’dan, the Syrian Arab Army is looking to seal the southeastern border of Al-Raqqa by forcing the Islamic State out of the aforementioned town along the Euphrates River.
Posted by:trailing wife

00:00