DAMASCUS, SYRIA (7:30 P.M.) – On Saturday morning, Kurdish-led forces met up across the Euphrates River southeast of Raqqa city, thus bringing the largely ISIS-held city of Raqqa under de facto siege.
Due to the swift capture of Mustajid Naqib village today, several thousand ISIS members are now fully surrounded by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Meanwhile, heavy clashes continued inside Raqqa city itself where firefights were observed in the Al-Barid, Qadisiyah, Hittin, Yarmouk and Al-Nahda neighborhoods.
Worth noting, US Marines are now providing direct fire support and covering fire for Kurdish assault troops in addition to the US-led coalition airstrikes.
Although ISIS is putting up a fight, the predominately Kurdish SDF is likely to impose full control over Raqqa before the end of the year.
Once this campaign is concluded, the SDF leadership is expected to sue for independence under a confederation known as Rojava. Thus far, the Damascus Government has opposed any opportunistic attempts at Kurdish independence.
A full interactive battle map of Syria can be found here.
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