Posted on 03/24/2017 6:25:50 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
Dozens of Islamic State’s (ISIS) jihadist fighters were killed in a renewed offensive by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near Raqqa, in northeastern Syria, military sources reported on Friday.
The US-backed SDF troops hit ISIS headquarters in the Jadidat Makhit town in the eastern countryside of Raqqa.
“The SDF shelled ISIS security centres in the town with heavy artillery and mortar fire,” SDF officer Habun Osman told ARA News.
Over 45 ISIS militants were killed in the attack.
“The terror group was forced to withdraw from the town after suffering heavy losses in manpower and equipment,” the official confirmed.
The Syrian Democratic Forces seized several ISIS vehicles and a large deal of ammunition after taking control of a weapons storage centre in the Jadidat Makhit town subsequent to ISIS’ withdrawal.
This comes amid continued military operations by the SDF troops, supported by the US-led coalition, against ISIS militants in Raqqa.
On Wednesday, the SDF launched a multi-pronged offensive behind enemy lines on Wednesday to liberate the Tabqah Dam in Syria from ISIS. Apache helicopters, U.S. Marine artillery and special operation troops were part of this operation to drop SDF fighters near Tabqa.
Seizing Tabqah Dam will isolate Raqqa from three sides and give the SDF the strategic advantage and launching point needed for the liberation of the city. The area is critical to ISIS’s ability to import and harbor foreign fighters, export terror, and is ISIS’s last link to territory west of the Euphrates.
Tabqah Dam has been used as an ISIS headquarters, a prison for high-profile hostages, a training location, and for external terror plotting since ISIS took control of the location in 2013.
“This operation demonstrates the close relationship between the US military and SDF fighters,” Washington-based analyst Nicholas A. Heras, Bacevich Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), told ARA News. “A special operation, the air drop would not have even been attempted by the US military if the Americans did not have complete trust in the capabilities of the SDF.”
This comes as part of the third phase of the Euphrates Wrath Operation, aimed at liberating Eastern Raqqa from ISIS jihadists, launched by the SDF on 4 February.
During the first phase of Euphrates Wrath, which began on November 6, 2016, the SDF liberated roughly 560 km² in Northern Raqqa.
On 10 December, the SDF launched the second phase of the Euphrates Wrath, during which it captured over 2500 km² in Western Raqqa.
The campaign is ultimately aimed at isolating the ISIS radical group in its de facto capital.
Everyone is please about the coordination that has developed in the Coalition forces.
East Raqqa Ping
Sounds like the Will Of Allah.
Sounds like Mad Dog is in charge. smile.
YEA!!!!!
I’m sure our guys are lobbing in GPS Excalibur rounds with devestating effect from 25 miles out.
Oh dozens, great.
Meanwhile they’ve got millions of young men coming to fighting age every day throughout the Muslim world.
Nice going.
Yes, but I think it might be closer. Probably exactly that round from what I’ve heard. 155 mm
Hard to imagine a howitzer round fired 30 miles and hits in 10 meter circle?
Damn old age.
How I would love to be over there.
Has the SDF taken the dam? I haven’t seen that it has completed that mission.
I know a guy who was on his way about a week ago. If I did not have family to take care of, I might have considered helping. But certainly not in combat roll at my age. I still shoot well, but the rest is a young mans task.
I do have a special attachment to the Syrian Kurds. It happened when the Siege of Kobani was going on. We pushed every news and political button we could to bring attention to the extreme desperation of situation. Finally on Oct. 11th 20145 Obama finally agreed and sent in the planes. Knocked out the ISIS armor and heavy weapons. Then dropped in supplies, water, ammo and some small arms. They held and drove ISIS back. Mostly women and a few men. Some Kurds came from Iraq and in the mountains and helped and they ended ISIS in Kobani.
They have my respect. Communicate very often. That has been almost 3 years since it began.
I am loving the new rules of engagement. Trump is letting the military loose and it is showing.
Yes. News was confusing. It was not just the dam. There were complexes there. A town, a jail, a training facility, command center and some other installations.
The dam was captured fairly quickly (not sure removing explosives was that quick), the rest took another day and a half. Some time this morning it was secured. I think there may be some pockets remaining quite a ways from the facility.
Have not seen a good map of that one since it was totally in SDF hands.
Absolutely correct.
Notice how little is coming out of the State Department. T-Rex operates on his own direction too. I’m sure he coordinates with Trump, but he only tells news what he wants them to hear. The rest he is very quiet about. He is in charge and is very effective.
Mattis? smile. Yes, he is a Marine.
The shoe is on the other foot now, as compared to when ISIS rolled the region before. ISIS is now outgunned - big time.
Flush them into their defensive positions, and then call for fire. Make those Marines go home with bulging biceps, from loading all those artillery rounds.
Its very efficient to blow them up out in the villages. In the city, you have to closer in, and accept more collateral damage. It would be nice to have direct fire weapons in the city, that can handle the solid concrete and masonry buildings and suicide vehicle bombs - like tanks, or at least truckloads of RPG and LAW rounds
Try the Paladin artillery/rocket system. Scared the crap out of my son in Iraq. He thought they were being bombed. He took a few great photos of the missiles being fired.
Any modern artillery shell with an internal guidance system and outside fins can hit a specific target, esp. if it has been lasered.
Yes, I’ve read about those that go right through the window on a wall. Amazing stuff.
Thanks, that’s good to hear. I’ve been out of the loop for a couple of days.
The Kurd casualties have increased. I’ve seen days when they were 7. But the ISIS casualties are much larger.
Casualties must be held to the absolute minimum. This is a very bad business that someone must do.
Meanwhile:
"Kurdish forces enter Tabqa airbase west of Syria's Raqqa"
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-03/27/c_136159387.htm
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