MESOP FLASH : PKK/PYD – Kurdish Forces Reach Euphrates River East of Raqqa Amid Massive ISIS Collapse

By Chris Tomson Al-Masdar News – Posted 2017-02-22 00:10 GMT – Following the capture of 8 villages earlier in the day, the US-backed ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) swept through another five ISIS-held villages in a huge offensive that now has Kurdish forward units stationed at the northern bank of the Euphrates River in a region some 40 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Raqqa.

Effectively, the SDF were able to impose full control over the villages of Al Kajla, Judayat Khabur, Hamad Assaf, Al Kulayb and Al Kulayb and the latter’s Grain Silos.Further operations are ongoing along the Euphrates River as ISIS militants have left behind several areas without firing a single bullet.

With phase III of the ‘Euphrates Wrath’ offensive firmly underway, the SDF are trying to set its forces up for the final assault on Raqqa city itself.Meanwhile, 850 locals from Hasakah city were recruited into Kurdish YPG (People’s Protection Units) on Tuesday. www.mesop.de