Posted on 05/02/2017 10:51:34 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
SDF commander and spokeswoman for the "Operation Wrath of Euphrates" Cihan Sheikh Amed during a press statement.
The spokeswoman of the “Operation Wrath of Euphrates”, launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, said that the US-backed force has set its sights on Raqqa after capturing Tabqah city centre on Tuesday.
Cihan Sheikh Ahmed, speaking to Dihaber news agency, said the US-backed fighters had liberated the strategically important Tabqah city centre after heavy clashes in nine neighbourhoods in the past three days.
Operation prolonged due to damage control
Ahmed, also an SDF commander, added that the operation had taken longer than expected because the multi-ethnic force had wanted to limit damage to the city and dam, which the extremist group had threatened to blow up, she said.
“We don’t want our people to suffer. When we liberate an area we want to put it in their service. We carried out the operation with this in mind. Daesh [IS] has booby-trapped many places, so we have to conduct sweeping operations. We saved thousands of our citizens from captivity.”
Now on to Raqqa
The commander spoke confidently of the SDF’s operation against the jihadist IS and underlined the importance of Tabqah, saying, “We will march to Raqqa city centre following Tabqah. We couldn’t take Raqqa without Tabqah.”
Many people from Tabqah joining SDF
Ahmed said the citizens of Tabqah were excited and overjoyed after being liberated from IS and that many young men and women had joined the SDF.
The commander, herself from Raqqa, concluded by calling on IS militants to surrender and for citizens living in the city centre to flee to areas held by the SDF.
“We are giving Daesh militants a chance for freedom”
“Daesh is going to play a dirty game in Raqqa. It is going to try and scare the people. So, we are appealing to the people to come to areas under our control. We are not going to allow any more suffering. This is why we are also calling on gang [IS] members to drop their weapons and surrender. We are waging a legitimate struggle and will win. This is a war for freedom. We are giving them this chance for freedom as well. Otherwise they have no chance for escape.”
IS suffocated in Raqqa
With the capture of Tabqah, the SDF have severed all routes from Aleppo to IS-held areas in Raqqa, Deir Ez-zor and over the border into Iraq’s Mosul and Baghdad. The group’s access to trade, arms and logistics has been severely limited.
The majority Sunni Arab city of Tabqah, which had a pre-war population of between 70-80,000 is expected to be handed over to a civilian council in the coming weeks.
It would be good if they could attempt to reduce the civilian and SDF casualties. SDF has been very careful about how they have fought the battles trying hard to prevent civilian casualties. In spite of that, ISIS has used civilians as human shield in almost all engagements.
Raqqa will be no different. When ISIS took control of Raqqa it was about 240,000 people. Tabqa City was about 70-80,000 people.
It has taken about a month to clear Tabqa City of ISIS. Raqqa has been under siege for that month too. Little water and food has surely crippled the inhabitants that remain.
They also want to prevent further damage where possible.
Syria Ping!
SDF leader statement asking ISIS to surrender.
SDF leader statement asking ISIS to surrender......Why? For execution? Only answer.
SDF leader statement asking ISIS to surrender......Why? For execution? Only answer.
OK, they are in the process of negotiations with some ISIS in the control section of the Dam and in the Turbine area.
If they convince them to surrender, it will be a game changer. Blowing the dam will be a total humanitarian disaster.
There are some locals that were conscripted into fighting for Daesh by threat of death if they objected. Some of them realize how big a mistake they made to join ISIS, but know they will be killed if they try to flee.
Some are die hards and will fight to the last breath, so be it.
Anything possible to reduce the loss of life in the struggle as long as they end the die hards is worth pursuing
I’m sure there may be a few individuals who were coerced into fighting for ISIS who would surrender if they could, the leadership, not so much. By their interpretation of Islam, to surrender from a Jihad would be an abomination, not happening.
Yes. Is true.
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