US Continues Arming Kurds in Raqqa as Syrian Army Advances in ISIL's De Facto Capital

Rasa - The US has sent tens of trucks full of light and semi-heavy weapons to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), media reports said.

News ID: 430412

Date: 17 June 2017 - 22:07

RNA - According to Anadolu news agency, in the last 10 days, the United States’ shipments made up 130 trucks, with 60 cars passing on June 5, and 20 vehicles on June 12.

In May, US President Donald Trump had approved arming of Kurdish militiamen in Syria with heavy armament, including mortars and machine guns, ahead of an attempt to drive ISIL from Raqqa.

In the month that passed since US President’s approval of the arming of the Syrian Kurdish forces, a total of 348 trucks with military assistance had been passed to the group.

According to the news agency’s data, the Pentagon’s list of weapons to be delivered to the group includes 12,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 6,000 machine guns, 3,000 grenade launchers, and around 1,000 anti-tank weapons of Russian or US origin.

Also, al-Akhbar newspaper reported that apparently the US intends to help the SDF forces to take control of more regions in Syria, adding that these regions will be turned into Washington's ground of influence which will affect the power balance in the entire region.

The Syrian forces have entered Raqqa after cleansing the Eastern parts of Aleppo from the ISIL terrorists and they have retaken control of vast areas in the past few days, nearing even regions which host the Kurdish forces in al-Tabaqeh.

According to a source, the predominately Kurdish SDF intensified attacks on ISIL's defense lines in Raqqa from three directions on May 6, while the Syrian Army troops are marching on ISIL strongholds in Western countryside of Raqqa city, the self-proclaimed capital of ISIL Caliphate.

The sources said that the SDF fighters have launched a fresh round of operation within the framework of the Euphrates Rage Operation from three Northern, Eastern and Western directions to drive ISIL out of Raqqa city.

The final phase of SDF forces' operation has been kicked off while news about an agreement between ISIL and the US-backed SDF on the exit of terrorists from Raqqa without any clashes has been released in recent days.

Arab media outlets disclosed that ISIL started withdrawing troops from West of Raqqa province following an agreement with the US-backed Kurdish forces.

According to reports, the SDF forces held talks with the ISIL to encourage the militants to withdraw from Sad al-Rashid area as well as the towns of al-Mansourah and Hanidah in Western Raqqa without any resistance, and move towards Syria's Badiyeh (desert).

Reports indicated that Washington preferred to occupy Raqqa immediately without major casualties on the US-backed forces.

Also, if the ISIL leaves Raqqa without any clashes, the US will not need the SDF to occupy the city and the territories can be filled with other terrorist groups which are called by the US as moderate militants.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement that the ISIL militants continue to cross the Euphrates River in Syria from their stronghold of Raqqa despite being encircled by Kurdish and US-led coalition forces.

"At the same time, the SDF stopped its offensive, resulting in ruptures in the ISIL's ring of encirclement. Using this, the terrorists cross the Euphrates and seek to transfer their formations in the southern direction of Syria," it said.

"The command of the Russian grouping of forces in the Syrian Arab Republic will continue to take all necessary measures to prevent the breakthrough of the ISIL units from Raqqa to the provinces of Homs and Hama," it added.

According to Moscow, Russia’s Aerospace Forces thwarted two attempts by ISIL to break through to Palmyra from Raqqa in the past week.
"The first convoy of terrorists from Raqqa heading to Palmyra was destroyed by the Russian Aerospace Forces on May 25. ISIL militants made another attempt to break through to the Palmyra area on the night of May 29 to 30.

Three motorcades left Raqqa under the cover of darkness and took several routes southward," the ministry said in a statement.

"The Russian Aerospace Forces hit the detected targets. The ISIL lost more than 80 terrorists, 36 cars, eight fuel trucks and 17 pickup trucks equipped with mortars and large-caliber machine guns," the ministry added.

The SDF started military Operations codenamed 'Euphrates Rage' to liberate Raqqa from the ISIL hands in November 2016.

"The first convoy of terrorists from Raqqa heading to Palmyra was destroyed by the Russian Aerospace Forces on May 25. ISIL militants made another attempt to break through to the Palmyra area on the night of May 29 to 30. Three motorcades left Raqqa under the cover of darkness and took several routes southward," the ministry said in a statement.

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