Posted on 04/24/2017 7:51:26 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
The Tabqa operation launched by the Democratic Syrian Forces has entered day 32.
SDF is tightening the siege step by step, and the gangs are trapped inside. They attacked again to break the siege, but they were pushed back and 72 gang members were killed.
At 05.00 yesterday, ISIS gangs carried out simultaneous attacks in Ayid Kebîr and Cub al-Abû Cabir villages to the south of Tabqa, the Military Airport and the surroundings of Icêl village to the southwest and SDF positions in Îbad, Safsafah and Sahil El Xesheb villages to the east with heavy weapons and suicide bombers.
ISIS gangs tried to take advantage of the bad weather in the region and the sand storm that reduced visibility to 5 meters to break the siege, but SDF fighters responded swiftly in all fronts despite the unfavorable conditions.
The fighters cut off the gangs and didn’t allow them to break the siege. There were close clashes in several locations. The clashes started at 05.00 and continued until 22.00 with the gangs suffering heavy blows.
THEY WANT TO ESCAPE THE CITY
To break the siege and take their high ranking gang leaders out of Tabqa, ISIS pushed hard from both inside and outside the siege circle in the south on Ayid Kebîr and Cub al-Abû Cabir villages. With the heavy blows dealt by the fighters, the gangs were weakened and attempted to call for reinforcements from the city center. SDF fighters close to Ayid Kebir hit the vehicles delivering the reinforcements. A vehicle loaded with ammunition was destroyed and 2 military vehicles were damaged. 2 Toyota brand vehicles belonging to the gangs were destroyed by the sabotage action taken by the fighters.
In clashes around Ayid Kebîr and Cub al-Abû Cabir villages, one gang leader and 3 gang members were killed. After the attack was pushed back, the fighters launched a cleanup operation in the region and confiscated 3 bodies, 1 RPG (B-7) and 5 rockets, 3 Kalashnikovs, 2 Raxts, 1 suicide vest and some ammunition.
THE EASTERN FRONT
The gangs attempted to infiltrate Îbad, Safsafah and Sahil al-Xeshab villages to the East of Tabqa but were hit hard by the fighters. 10 gang members were killed in the clashes and 2 vehicles belonging to the gangs were destroyed with mines laid on the road by the fighters. One of their vehicles was confiscated by the fighters.
THE AIRPORT AND THE SURROUNDINGS
The airport to the southwest and the Icel village to the south were targeted by the gangs’ simultaneous attacks. In the intense clashes in this front, 24 gang members, 2 of them “emir” gang leaders, were killed. The bodies of 2 gang leaders and 17 gang members were confiscated by the fighters while the remaining 7 bodies were seen removed from the clash grounds by the gangs. 1 RPG, 1 Turkish made Law gun, 8 Kalashnikovs, 2 BKCs, 2 antiaircraft barrels, 2 grenades, 3 digital correspondence equipment, 1 taxi cab, 1 motorcycle and 3 WAN type (minibus) vehicles were also confiscated by the fighters.
THE WESTERN FRONT
SDF fighters killed 5 gang members trying to infiltrate the positions on the western front and captured one alive. The fighters destroyed 2 vehicles and confiscated 1 RPG (B-7), 5 rockets and 3 Kalashnikovs.
COALITION FORCES CARRIED OUT AN AERIAL ATTACK
The International Coalition forces provided active aerial support to the SDF fighters’ resistance on the ground throughout the day. 7 aerial attacks were carried out on various gang positions in the city by the Coalition forces. 30 gang members were killed in the bombing and a DHSK mounted vehicle, an armored Hummer and a WANN type vehicle were destroyed.
2 FIGHTERS MARTYRED
2 SDF fighters who took part in breaking the most extensive gang attack in the Tabqa operation were martyred in the clashes and 4 SDF fighters were wounded.
After breaking the extensive gang attacks, SDF fighters continue their advance towards Tabqa city center.
ISIS has fought hard to keep this. The SDF (Kurds and Arabs) have done an amazing job. The last report I read stated more than 60% of the city was in SDF control. Many strategic positions are secured.
This town was about 75,000 people before ISIS took over. The next step in Raqqa which was roughly 240,000 population will be a big one, but things are not going well for ISIS in Raqqa either.
There is a video at the link.
I hope this answers some questions for you.
Raqqa City situation report Ping
In 100 days, Trump has ISIS nearly defeated. You’ll never hear anything about it from our press.
Nope. They are too busy contemplating their navel and playing with political correctness knobs.
What a waste of bandwidth the Main Stream Media really is.
Is the SDF the jihadists armed by the CIA or are they the jihadists armed by the Pentagon ?
As Trump said ‘we have no idea who we are giving weapons to’
So the Kurds have been unleashed since Trump became president.
They begged for munitions from obozo and never got them
And you will hear the pearl clutchers here complaining about Trump not staying out of Syria
“So the Kurds have been unleashed since Trump became president.
They begged for munitions from obozo and never got them”
You are so correct. Thank God for President Trump.
A whole lot of ISIS(gangs) killed in this report. I only saw 1 that was captured. I like these kill/prisoner ratios. Kill as many as possible.
They are not jihadists. Try not to show your ignorance -— you’re embarrassing your fellow FReepers.
Thanks for the continuing SITREPS.
Numbers have been running 10 (ISIS) to 1 (SDF). Still it’s a very dangerous operation.
Raqqa proper could be far worse. US Spec Ops and Marine Howitzer (X caliber rounds), Apache choppers, Air Support and precision munitions have helped the operations.
That, and the Kurds are fine soldiers and learn quickly. It’s been quite a while since we had this kind of motivated soldiers to fight alongside. (my opinion)
Our soldiers know. They are the important ones !
Wrong conclusion.
CIA had every malcontent jihadi working for them to overthrow Assad (bad guy). Then Obama & Hillary spawned the ISIS monster.
Kurds were the 1st to effectively defeat ISIS. It began in Kobani. It would have fell, but with a lot of pressure from the public, Obama finally gave them some air support and a bunch of women and a few men with a little air support and few small arms, ammo, and food dropped in they managed to survive. I was part of the cheer leading crowd here then.
If I seem attached to this, it is because I respect and really like the Syrian Kurds. Ones I know are not only good soldiers, but very good people. No longer strangers.
Thanks.
I thought this was one of the better reports I had read. Most don’t give this detail. It is pretty impressive to me how well they all work together.
At the very last possible moment he gave a single series of air drops of supplies and some continuing air support which allowed them to survive in Kobani. Amazing to watch that. It was during Sept & Oct 2014.
Still get chills thinking of what a monster they actually faced and prevailed against (barely).
Yes, our solders can understand this.
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