DAMASCUS, SYRIA (9:40 P.M.) – Moments ago, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured As-Safsafah and a section of the adjacent M4 highway in western Raqqa, thereby completely besieging ISIS militants inside the city of Tabqa.
Tabqa, a city located at the southern bank of the Euphrates River, is effectively completely cutoff the provincial capital of Raqqa, considered the Islamic State capital.
SDF fighters otherwise captured sections of As-Safsafah days ago but were forced to retreat due to an Islamic State counter-offensive. However, Kurdish forces have now established full control over the imperative town, located directly east of Tabqa.
Some 30 ISIS insurgents were killed during the clashes, a source told Al-Masdar News.
A video also emerged from the region hours ago, showing an ISIS suicide bomber detonating his suicide belt meters from SDF troops.
