Video: Northern Syria’s Tug of War, Renewed Chaos
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Northern Syria is in a state of renewed chaos, as both civilians are in the streets, and the Kurdish groups are clashing with Turkey and the factions it backs.
Late on June 5, fighters of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attacked positions of the Turkish-backed militants near the town of Ras al-Ain in northeastern Syria.
SDF fighters passed the defenses in the area of al-Arish and engaged in heavy clashes with the militants.
The Syrian National Army (SNA) lost 4 militants, while the SDF lost 2 fighters, and at least a dozen more were injured.
Just days earlier, militants from the SNA clashed with each other in Ras al-Ain.
As a result, at least three militants were killed and seven others were injured.
Stray fire also wounded four civilians, including a woman.
The local civilians are also angered by the SDF’s recent actions and the bloody quelling of weeks of protests.
The Manbij Civil Council of the so-called Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued a decision to end the curfew ban imposed on the city of Manbij in the province of Aleppo.
The curfew was imposed a day after massive civil protests erupted in the city against the “forced conscription” campaign carried out by the SDF’s Manbij Military Council and the arrest of dozens of young men, in order to force them to fight in the ranks of the SDF.
At least 7 protesters were killed.
The SDF is evidently struggling and it needs fresh fighters to both fight against Ankara’s forces, the factions it backs and to carry out various other operations in the area.
The destabilization in the region is being taken advantage of by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), as its units move to reactivate an air defense base in northern Aleppo.
The base is located in the town of Taanah near the frontline with Turkish forces who currently occupy the town of al-Bab to the east.
The base, which used to host a Soviet-made S-75 Dvina air-defense system, was captured by the rebels in 2012.
It was recaptured back in 2016, but it hasn’t been used since then.
Such an undertaking could prove invaluable in fighting against the Turkish occupation in Syria’s north.
Meanwhile, on the other front in central Syrian regions, ISIS continually bites back, despite the the SAA’s and Russia’s best efforts to contain the terrorists.
On June 3rd and 4th, at least 23 pro-government fighters were killed in Syria’s central region, while Russia rained hell on terrorist positions in response.
One of the victims of improvised explosive devices planted by the terrorists was an Iranian military advisor identified as Hassan Abdullahzadeh, killed on the Homs-Deir Ezzor highway on June 4th, alongside his guard.
In response to this ramped up activity, the Russian Aerospace Forces struck ISIS positions in Hama, Raqqa, Homs and Deir Ezzor.
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