The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are attempting to enter the ISIS-held town of Tabqa in the province of Raqqah.
According to pro-Kurdish sources, clashes in the area erupted early in the morning and since then SDF units have entered the outsrikts of the town, destroying at least 2 vehicles belonging to ISIS terrorists.
Tabqa and the Tabqa dam are important ISIS defense sites in the western countryside of Raqqah. If they fall, the SDF will be able to successfully develop an advance south of the ISIS self-proclaimed capital.
Yesterday, the SDF captured the villages of Abbad and Ayed Qabir that fom ISIS terrorists. The both villages are located near Tabqa.
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SDF should just lay siege to Raqqa by all sides, let them rot away for months like SAA did to the garbage in Aleppo.
This is one of the courses they might take. First they have to get closer to the city limits of Raqqah, to take mobility and space to manouver away from IS. I think they will take the south bank of the river up to at least a little east of Raqqah and go to the city border of Raqqah,maybe even cutting off some of the outskirts.
Then it wil all depend on whether the SDF gets heavy arms to be able to penetrate set defences.
Apparently there is some news that SDF has gone deep down past Tabqah airbase near the oil fields of Raqqa.
Could be a smart move.
Any sources?
This news story is stupid. The SDF is on both sides of the dam and the ISIS units trapped inside Tabqa can’t do jack except to wait for their demise.
It appears that the SDF is content to move slowly on Raqqa as long as ISIS keeps withdrawing fighters to send south to Mayadin.
ISIS still has baath dam.