This is a sign the rumors were correct.
Another on FR had suggested to me privately that this might be an element of locals who were conscripted or volunteered to joing ISIS and learned to regret it.
ISIS in Tabqa has fought fiercely to defend it. I suspect some of the top leadership was here. I came to that conclusion because of the training facilities near the dam.
This is a good sign. Anything to end this quicker and with less loss of life by the coalition (opposing ISIS) is a good thing.
Tabqa is just part of the battle at ISIS's headquarters in Raqqa. But it shows ISIS is loosing heavily.
Tabqa/Raqqa Ping
ISIS in Syria is made up of about 33% true believers and 66% Sunni tribes.
The tribes signed up for power and war spoils. Not a suicide mission.
Apostates want to surrender. They are apostates because they want to give it up. A Moslem dies in the fight against infidels. One who does not want to die fighting the infidel is ipso facto apostate and deserving of the sort of death that closes the gates of Paradise to them.
Which ones are lord McCain’s rebels?
The Kurds are very good fighters and very motivated
“Several Daesh [fighters] have been killed by their own inside of the city....
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Gee, what a shame.
This has always been typical of real siege warfare. The human shields get hurt the most when the supply lines are really cut because the fighters come first.
That's Tabka.