Backed by US Airstrikes, the Kurdish YPG is making new gains in northern Syria, part of an offensive they ultimately believe will put them at the outskirts of the ISIS capital city of Raqqa. Right now, however, the focus is on a pair of important Euphrates River dams.
The closer of the two is Tishreen, which is just 20 km from the YPG forces. If they take that, it’s just a stone’s throw to the even bigger Baath Dam, which includes a power plant which supplies much of northern Syria, including virtually all of ISIS Caliphate.
In the past two days, the YPG fighters captured three villages, Sahareej, Obeidat, and al-Manseeh, and say they believe they will make further advances along the riverfront in the coming days.
The wildcard in all of this will be Turkey, as they have met previous YPG gains against ISIS with harsh condemnations and threats of military action, believing the US is making a mistake in allowing the Kurds to take over ISIS territory.