US-backed forces from the Kurdish YPG and its allies continue to try to advance against a handful of ISIS-held towns in Eastern Syria, but are finding the offensive difficult. Once again, ISIS has ambushed a substantial group of Kurdish fighters trying to get into the area.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights called it a “counterattack,” and said that violent clashes are still ongoing in the area. Casualties are not finalized, but at least 10 fighters were reported slain and 35 captured so far in the ambush.
The Kurdish YPG’s media officials denied that this was the case, saying that the information was “not true” and that none of their fighters had been captured. It seems unlikely that confirmation will be possible until the fighting ends.
The Kurdish forces have been moving against the ISIS towns for the past month, and this is just the latest of several ambushes of fighters en route. These towns are insignificantly small, but the only ones yet held by ISIS, whose forces are overwhelmingly in the desert.
Even very small towns can be important supply points for food and water for people otherwise out in the desert.
The Kurds are probably right that nobody has been “captured.” Any ISIS captives have a short life span.
Where was their air cover?