An ISIS counter attack ends with an ISIS loss of territory and 500 dead; sounds like success to me for the good guys. Any time ISIS looses is hardly a disaster.
Yes, send all ISIS vermin straight to hell.
But remember, there are some local conscripts that were forced to join them at the end of a gun. If they did not, they were shot.
That division took place in Tabqa city. There were gunfights between those who wanted to surrender (locals) and those who were hardcore, mostly foreign fighters.
I’ve had these conversations with people there who understand totally what has been happening. It is like what I said to some extent.