DAMASCUS, SYRIA (5:20 P.M.) – Over the past 24 hours, ISIS has withdrawn hundreds of fighters towards the provincial capital of Raqqa as the YPG-led ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) seized numerous sites, surrounding nearly a dozen ISIS controlled villages in a pocket in the northern Raqqa countryside.
Following the capture of six other villages yesterday, the US-backed SDF captured the villages of Al-Hazimah, Mazraat Al-Hukumia and Tall Hazimah on Friday amid phase five of the Euphrates Wrath offensive.
Islamic State forces largely withdrew from the aforementioned areas on Wednesday, leaving only wounded fighters and volunteer suicide bombers behind. At least one SVBIED struck rural Raqqa today, hitting the newly liberated Al-Hitash village.
Once the jihadist enclave is liquadated with US air support, the predominately Kurdish SDF will launch their final offensive towards Raqqa city, the self-proclaimed ISIS capital.
