On May 2, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced 8km deep in the ISIS-held pocket along the Syrian-Iraqi border the Syrian governotare of al-Hasakah, according to Kurdish news outlet Xeber 24. The advance came a day after the US-backed force had announced the resumption of its anti-ISIS operation in eastern Syria on May 1.
Local sources said that the US-led coaction had begun a new bombing campaign against the remaining positions of ISIS in the governorates of al-Hasakah and Deir Ezzor in support for the SDF. More than ten civilians were reportedly killed in one of the coalition airstrikes on the southeastern al-Hasakah countryside.
Hashim Mihemed, a commander of the SDF told the Kurdish Hawar News Agency (ANHA), that the SDF military operation along the Syrian-Iraqi border is coordinated with the Iraqi Army. Syrian pro-government sources believe that the coordination is happening through the US-led coalition.
The SDF will likely face a strong resistance from the remaining ISIS fighters the governotares of al-Hasakah and Deir Ezzor. According to local observers, the pause in the SDF operations during the last two months allowed the terrorist group to reorganize its units and even rearm them.
Photos of the SDF fighters during their advance in al-Hasakah:
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