The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) has reportedly recaptured the strategic town of ‘Ayn Issa in the Al-Raqqa Governorate after a series of violent firefights with the U.S. backed “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF) on Wednesday afternoon.
‘Ayn Issa is strategically located near the Turkish border with the Al-Raqqa Governorate; it was captured from ISIS earlier this year, resulting in the aforementioned terrorist group losing one of their most important border-crossings into Turkey.
ISIS is currently on the offensive in the Aleppo Governorate’s northern countryside, despite losing the imperative Tishreen Dam to the Syrian Democratic Forces and the predominately Kurdish “People’s Protection Units” (YPG) last weekend.
In addition to their attack on northern Al-Raqqa, ISIS is currently attacking the Turkish-backed “Free Syrian Army” (FSA), Jabhat Al-Shamiyah (Levantine Front), and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham at the small villages of Harjalah, Dalhah, Hewer Kilis, and Qarah Mazra’ah along the Turkish border with the Aleppo Governorate.
Currently, ISIS has backed off of the east Aleppo and west Raqqa fronts in order to secure a supply route from the Turkish border; this is one of the many reasons why they have concentrated most of their reserves to these once stagnate fronts in northern Syria.
