MESOP NEWS : YPG & Syrian rebels advance against ISIS north Raqqa

ARA News – 11 June 2015 – Urfa, Turkey – Supported by the U.S.-led coalition, joint forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Burkan al-Furat rebels continue their military campaign against the radical group of the Islamic State (IS/ISIS) near Tel Abyad city in Raqqa province, northeastern Syria, in an attempt to eradicate the group from the area, military sources reported.

Speaking to ARA News, Omid Khashman, media activist accompanying the YPG, said Wednesday that subsequent to clashes with IS terrorists, the joint forces seized control of several villages near Tel Abyad, including al-Maliha, Bir Muheisen, al-Aliya, al-Wasita, Umharmila, and Sukkariya in the eastern areas of Suluk town.

“YPG and allied rebels also liberated a strategic hill near Mabrouka town that has been taken by the group more than a year ago,” Khashman reported. Also on Wednesday, the U.S.-led coalition’s warplanes carried out several raids on IS strongholds in the countryside of Tel Abyad. Speaking to ARA News, official spokesman of the joint forces, Ahmed Hisso, said their fighters also regained control of the villages Shwehan, Abu Surra and Nahita in the southwestern countryside of Tel Abyad. Hisso added that three rebel fighters of Burkan al-Furat lost their lives during Wednesday’s clashes, while four others were wounded and transferred to a field hospital. “Our forces killed at least seven IS terrorists and seized heavy machine guns and ammunitions, following the liberation of the western countryside of Tel Abyad,” the source said.