While holding off the Kurdish YPG in their capital city of Raqqa, ISIS had been losing ground to Syrian government forces elsewhere in the Raqqa Province. They may be turning the tide Friday, however, having expelled Syrian forces from the town of Maadan.
After heavy fighting, with 34 Syrian troops and 12 ISIS killed, ISIS retook Maadan and, in the process, also took control of a number of nearby villages, effectively controlling a 30 km region that the Syrian military had all but completely recovered.
Maadan is particularly strategically valuable because it is on the main highway into Deir Ezzor Province, and if the Syrian government controlled it they’d have a straight shot into the oil-rich province, which remains overwhelmingly in ISIS hands.
ISIS is bragging about this victory as a fairly decisive one, bragging that it sets back Syria substantially. While it does set back Syrian forces somewhat, they still control most of southern Raqqa Province, however, and are likely viewing this as a temporary setback.
In the lighr of massive advances by Syrian Army, it is amazing how much coverage is
given to one setback. It is also amazing also to notice the total indifference in mainstream media — actually most media — for the people in areas liberated from ISIS, ISIS executions, Kurdish — SDF — tactics that allow ISIS move to Syrian liberated ferritory, ethnic cleansing by Kurds, resistance by local population to both ISIS and US supported Kurds. This amazing tapestry of US commanded Kurdish takeover of non-Kurdish lands, and Kurdish fight against ISIS now morphing more into local resistance — while ISIS just relocates to provide rear guard to Kurdish expansion. But it is not going well — as the continued bombardment of Raqqa indicates. ISIS militants have left long time ago. What is left are all locals. Those that live there, and are trying to hold Kurds out. US offer to locals was rejected, as it consisted of promise to have only “Arab” component of SDF in charge. These “Arabs” are not local, and population still wants inly local leadership of post-ISIS Raqqa. The same problem exists in other large villages and towns. Life was hard under ISIS , but they fear more the possibility of permanent occupation by US supported Kurds. They want to be protected by Syrian Army — and US is still not accepting this. As a result many local militias are now forming in the areas where Kurds are a minority and they are joining Syrian Army offensive. Their inexperience often makes them easy target, so they are now coordinating with Syrian Army.
All of this indicate that ISIS is still being funded, armed and assisted with telecom and intelligence. They are focused primarily on Syrian Army — not US backed Kurds. And more and more, Kurds and US air force are engaged against local resistance — and branding them ISIS. Thus random bombing of civilians in Raqqa province.
With the exception of the only excellent US based web chat site, Moon of Alabama, most other media tends to report on Damascus setbacks, at the time of Syrian Army immense progress. Indirect cheering for ISIS has become almost ingrained.
They weren’t SAA troops, they were NDF militia and local tribesmen. The Tiger Forces have returned to the battle and are forcing ISIS back. In a few days the position will be back to what it was before ISIS launched its attack. Although the Tiger Forces might be better off driving east from their most advanced positions towards the Euphrates east of Maadan to create another “cauldron” for ISIS
Finder250j
What are the raids doing ‘batting 200’? 150 if lost choppers count.