Posted on 05/01/2017 6:40:31 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
SDF fighters inside Tabqah on 1 May 2017. (Photo: ANHA)
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have “almost completely” captured northern Syria’s Tabqah city from the Islamic State (IS) group, a commander of the majority Kurdish-Arab force said.
Abdulqadir Hevdili told Hawar news agency that SDF fighters had liberated nine neighbourhoods from jihadist fighters in the past two days and that clashes continued in three small areas.
“We will give the people of Syria the good news very soon,” he said.
Another commander, Jako Zerkeh, told AFP that the battle in the small city had been “the toughest battle we’ve ever waged.”
Zerkeh added that the SDF had used new tactics, including the waterway supply line and an airlift behind enemy lines in late March, to kickstart the offensive.
“These were a huge surprise to them (IS) and shattered their morale… Dozens of Daesh fighters have surrendered. There were more surrenders here than any other town,” he told AFP.
Speaking to SDF Spokesperson Talal Silo, journalist Wladimir Van Wilgenburg tweeted that he had told him three neighbourhoods remained in the hands of extremist militants.
“We think today or tomorrow the neighbourhoods will be liberated, then only the Dam will be left,” Van Wilgenburg reported Silo saying.
The city sits on a strategic supply route about 55 kilometres (35 miles) west of IS’s main Syrian stronghold Raqa and served as a key IS command base.
Tabqah sits on a strategic supply line to the Islamic State’s last stronghold in Syria, Raqqa, which has been taken over by the SDF.
Journalists on the ground reported seeing SDF fighters taking down IS flags and propaganda in several of Tabqah’s neighbourhoods.
Many IS militants have been captured in clashes say reports.
Images of thousands of civilians fleeing to SDF-held areas have been published on social media in the past week.
All of Tabqa is effectively taken from ISIS, still isolated pockets who have not given up.
The SDF with US assistance is moving strongly to elimination of ISIS. Just a short distance from the ISIS capital of Raqqa.
Tabqa Syria Ping!
Raqqa is next.
America is dropping so many bombs on ISIS that a top admiral says he’s running out of bombs
The war is almost over now! /s
Silly
How many times has Tabqah been ‘taken’ and re-taken over history by this or that warring Islamic faction? Ditto for other cities.
Means nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Whoever gets the upper hand in Tabqah (or any other back of beyond place), will oppress the other faction of Muslims and of course non-Muslims. Doesn’t matter which side has the upper hand for some period of time. Could be days, or years. Eventually it will be re ‘taken’ by another extremist group of one kind or another. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Perhaps this explains the Fraud’s recent lucrative “speaking” tour, since he doesn’t have direct access to taxpayers’ cash anymore to send to his terrorist BFF’s.
Yeah, this is just setting up the next conflict. Arabs don’t want to be ruled by Kurds and this “SDF” is really just the Kurdish PYD which is considered a “terrorist group” by the US government on the Turkish side of the border and a “freedom fighters” on the Syrian side.
Nice work YPG!
Great - Well, except for maybe...
...the Arab-springee con-artists who created ISIS in the first place.
https://mobile.twitter.com/DesMchlmcgnn/status/859102201079353345
US UK EU recognize Rojava!!
Waaaa Hoooo!
So?
Who will control Tabqah in 2 years? 5 years? 50 years?
It’s all the same thing if you read history. All these places ‘taken’ and re-taken hundreds of times by various tribal and/or Islamic factions.
It is important that we send Americans to die so that Tabqah can be ‘taken’ for a short while? What about all the other thousands of towns all over the globe?
OK, is the SDF the good rebels or the ISIS/AlQ-backed bad rebels? In other words, is this the bunch McCain went over and supported?
Is the duly sovereign government of Syria in favor of this development? Or will this SDF now turn its attention to toppling Assad?
I can’t tell the players without annotated name tags.
This wiki article says they partner with the Kurds (which in my mind is a good thing). I know it draws the wrath of Turkey (a bad thing).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces
No, McCain supported the Al Qaeda & ISIS elements.
SDF has never advocated overthrowing Assad. Syria has advocated a Federation government and remaining part of Syria.
PYD is NOT on any terrorist list. PERIOD. Neither PYD or YPG & YPJ are on US terrorist list. (Don’t believe me? check it out)
PKK is, but only Turkey, US and UK.
After Erdogan called most of Europe, Nazi’s there is serious talk of totally de-listing even the PKK. Because Erdogan’s Islamist Militia’s are genuine terrorists.
Is the Tabqah area majority Kurd, or some other group? That would influence how easily it could be held once captured.
Kurdish forces are our best allies in fighting ISIS. We should try to keep them as our allies and protect them from Erdogan.
It’s mostly Arab.
It’s the same organization with different names.
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