On Tuesday, the Syrian army with the support of Russia conducted a lightning offensive and came close to the stronghold of the “Islamic state” (banned in Russia organization — approx. TRANS.) in raqqa, opening a new front against jihadists, who are trying to reflect both the offensive launched by local forces supported by the United States.
The advancing Syrian army and its allies, including Iran and Assad’s support of various military formations, across the defensive lines of the Syrian democratic forces, consisting mainly Kurds, but also Arabs and ethnic minorities. The two sides, leading the fierce fighting against ISIL in the past we fought, made alliances among themselves. However, the current tensions in U.S. relations with Assad’s allies Russia and Iran have raised concern about the fact that the rivalry in the struggle for the capture of Raqqa could provoke a new conflict between the advancing forces.
Local media showed the Syrian army and its allies, when they were knocked out of the ISIS troops from several villages in the Western part of Raqqa and strategic crossroads between the ancient city of Resafa and the airbase of the Syrian democratic forces Tabka. This was reported by the Pro-government newspaper Al-Masdar.
Among the new victories of the Syrian army led an elite unit “the Tiger Forces”, refers to yesterday’s seizure of large oil deposits near es-Saura and Sfyha that ISIS has used to replenish its Treasury and overseas operations. The military had also cut the last roads leading in the direction of Aleppo, which was captured by militants last year. Many believe these successes a turning point in lasting for six years the Syrian war.
First combat footage of #SAA operations against #ISIS at the edges of Al-Raqqa province.#الرقة pic.twitter.com/jAirPsGMn6
— Fahd Majd ?? (@Syria_Protector) 13 Jun 2017
Meanwhile, the Syrian democratic forces on Tuesday went on the offensive on the positions of ISIS in the raqqa governorate, acting on at least two fronts. The new offensive is part and launched in November powerful operation, which aims to first block the ISIS-held city, and then completely defeat the militants. When showed started dropping shells, the Syrian democratic forces have taken control of several areas in the Eastern part of the city. Due to artillery fire on Monday, ISIL suffered heavy losses, but Syrian democratic forces seized the science faculty of the local University.
“ISIL has used this building as a fortification. The Syrian democratic forces managed to drive the ISIL militants out of the building and took there a large amount of ammunition,” said an officer of SDS Habun Osman (Osman Habun), giving a Monday interview with news publication of the Syrian Kurds ARA News.
“Promotion began after strong clashes with the terrorists of the ISIL,” he said, adding that during the fighting has killed dozens of militants “Islamic state”.
Irregular troops, with U.S. support, has made significant progress in the final stage of the battle with ISIS in Raqqa. However, the American military said that there are “long and difficult days,” reported The Washington Post. Syrian democratic forces recently reached the walls of the old city, built in the eighth century. Now, in the further advance they are waiting for a desperate resistance fighters.
As a result of the seizure of new territories, Pro-government troops and Syrian democratic forces were next to each other, and now they have in the North of Syria shared a defensive line with a length of over 100 kilometers. It stretches from the area South Manuja, where the parties this year signed a temporary truce to work together to defend against the Turks supported the rebels, to the territory South of the Tabka, which recently took the Syrian army. There were unverified reports of small clashes between the Syrian army and the VTS to the South of the Tabka, but in General, the parties apparently focused on combating the common threat from ISIS. And those and others speak out against ultra-conservative Sunni variety of Islam that adheres to the jihadists, but between them there is disagreement in the question of what degree of autonomy needs to Kurds in Northern Syria. There a group of Kurdish nationalists from the composition of the Syrian democratic forces seeking independence from the Syrian state.
In recent months relations between Russia and the United States deteriorated sharply. President Donald trump, who first wanted to join the Alliance with Russia for a joint struggle against ISIS in Syria changed course when his administration blamed illegal, but not the open collusion with Moscow. In April, the United States accused Assad’s attack with chemical weapons on the civilian population in the northwestern province of Idlib, which is controlled by the rebels. Russian and Syrian authorities have denied these accusations, stating their inaccuracy, however, trump a few days later for the first time it has struck Syrian army firing rockets at the airbase.
#South #Tabqah:#SAA take Ghānim Jubb, Jubb Abū Şūşā, Jubb ‘Abd al ‘Azīz, Bir Inbaj, Rajm Askar + Sfaiyeh oil field from #Daesh v @watanisy pic.twitter.com/9h02ibkS5W
— Emmanuel (@EmmanuelGMay) 13 Jun 2017
Since USA attacked Pro-government forces, accusing them of violating the “security zone” imposed unilaterally by the United States in the South of Syria. Moscow and Damascus are considered illegal this zone, located near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders in al-TANF, as it was not included in the agreement signed last month by Russia, Iran and Turkey, and the establishment of four zones of de-escalation in Syria, where the use of foreign troops.
A Syrian field commander on Tuesday called “ridiculous” declared USA area, as reported by the state news Agency Syrian Arab News Agency. The Syrian government considers illegal U.S. military presence on its territory.
On Monday, Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a telephone conversation with us Secretary of state Rex Tillerson demanded that the US ceased attacks on the Syrian army and its allies.
