29 Mar 2024
Sunday 11 June 2017 - 10:54
Story Code : 264240

US-backed SDF forces enter Raqqah from western battle front



Press TV - The so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have entered the western regions of Daeshs last stronghold in Syria, Raqqah, says a UK-based monitoring group.

According to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the US-backed SDF entered the city from the western front that is currently engaged in heavy clashes with the terrorists.

"The SDF captured the western half of the al-Sabahiya neighborhood and are reinforcing their positions there," said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

"They then advanced north to the adjacent district of al-Romaniya and are fighting Daesh," he added.



The SDF has also confirmed that it has entered the city and is engaged in fierce fighting in Romaniya.

"Daesh has reinforced the northern approach to Raqqah much more, thinking that's how the SDF would try to advance on the cityThe western and eastern entrances to the city were much less fortified," noted Rahman.

The SDF is led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) which Ankara views as a terrorist organization over its alleged links to the outlawedKurdistan Workers Party(PKK).

Daesh seized Raqqah in 2014, the same year when it started its campaign of terror in Syria. It then proceeded to capture large swathes of Syrian territory.


[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="650"] The so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), made up of an alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces, unload boxes of ammunition, supplied by the US-led coalition, in a village north of Raqqah on June 7, 2017.[/caption]
Syrian army reaches Iraq border

Meanwhile, the Syrian army has announced that it has gained control of a vast territory in southeastern Syria, reaching the border "with friendly Iraq."

"This achievement is a strategic turning point in the war on terrorism and a springboard to expand military operations in the Badiya [region in southeast Syria] and along the border with the friendly Iraq," said a statement released from the army's general command.

The successful operation highlights the ability and determination of Syrian forces in defending the Takfiri terrorists, and shows that it is the "only effective force in fighting terrorism, added the statement. It went on to stress that the US attacks on Syrian force are nothing but an attempt to "hinder the advance of the Syrian Arab Army and its allies in their war on terrorism."

On Tuesday, US-led warplanes attacked a Syrian military position on the road to the town of al-Tanf -- where US forces are based -- killinga number of people and causing some material damage.

The US claims the air raid was carried out after Syrian forces advanced inside the well-established deconflictionzone in southern Syria, where they posed a threat to partner forcesbased in al-Tanf. The US had previouslydeclared the surrounding 55 kilometers around the town a deconfliction zone, in which only forces allied to Washington were allowedentry.



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a meeting in Moscow on May 30, 2017.[/caption]

Stop attacking Syrian forces: Russia to US

Also on Saturday, Russia announced that it had told the US that its strikes on Syrian forces were unacceptable.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave the warning to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a phone conversation, said a statement released by the Russian foreign ministry.

Lavrov expressed his categorical disagreement with the US strikes on pro-government forces and called on him to take concrete measures to prevent similar incidents in future," said the statement.

Different foreign-backed terrorist groupshave been wreaking havoc in Syria since 2011.

Over the past few months, Syrian forces have madesweepinggains against Takfiri elements, who have lately increased their acts of violence across the country following a series of defeats on the ground.

https://theiranproject.com/vdchkkniv23n-id.01t2.html
Your Name
Your Email Address