US-backed SDF Attempting to Cut off Syrian Army from Raqqa Province

The SDF, backed up by the US-led coalition’s airpower and military advisers, relaunched operations against Daesh at the same time as the SAA reached the town of Maskanah, the last Daesh stronghold in the province of Aleppo.

The SDF captured the villages Bir Akhu Hadlah, Bir al-David and Bir Hajj al-Mufazi advancing towards the Resafa Crossroads at the Salamiyah-Raqqah highway and is aiming to take control of the highway that links up the SAA-held city of Salamiyah with Raqqah.

They have also advanced west of Tabqah, capturing the village of al-Mushayrifah and may attempt to block the Tiger Forces from moving along the N4 highway from reaching the province of Raqqah.

Meanwhile, they have also advanced on the Baath Dam and may even have captured it. They may also have seized the villages of Hawra, al-Barouda and al-Matiyura south of the Baath Dam. However, these gains are unconfirmed.

Pro-government sources suggested that Daesh maintains greater resistance to the SAA than to the SDF and rumors have it that Daesh and SDF fighters are freely ‘flowing’ between both groups as if they are in alliance.

Apparently, the US-led coalition and its “local allies” have shifted their focus onto the Syrian military after their failure at the Syrian-Iraqi border when government forces successfully prevented the expansion of territory held by US-led forces.

If confirmed, the US-led forces may attempt to complicate the government operation against Daesh and may even advance in the direction of Deir Ezzor in order to seize the nearby oil and gas fields.