The sources said that Abu Saraqib al-Maqrebi from Morocco has been appointed as the security chief of al-Tabaqa town in Western Raqqa.
Al-Maqrebi was replaced with a Syrian member of ISIL that was already arrested on charges on financial corruption.
Abu Jandal al-Mesri from Egypt was also appointed as ISIL’s Intelligence Chief, the sources said adding that al-Mesri replaced Abu Ahmad al-Souri.
Abu Mohammad al-Jazrawi from Algeria was appointed as ISIL’s Hasaba (monitoring) Chief while the previous chief was also a Syrian.
Syrian analyst Javad al-Ala said that these changes have roots in ISIL’s distrust in its local forces, adding, “ISIL is carrying out preemptive measures to prevent any leak in its security structure. Separating Syrian forces from non-Syrians will possibly end in severe internal crisis in the group.”
Reports said earlier today that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched a massive offensive against ISIL’s positions North of al-Tabaqa Dam and seized control of the most important base of the ISIL in Western Raqqa, killing or wounding almost 110 militants.
The SDF that had repelled several attacks of ISIL in the Western parts of Raqqa province started a large-scale offensive within the framework of the Euphrates Rage Operation and entered the town of al-Sweidiyeh al-Kabireh from its Western outskirt and later won full control over the town.
The ISIL further attacked SDF’s positions in the Eastern outskirt of al-Sweidiyeh al-Kabireh to recapture the town, but failed.
ISIL suffered 110 casualties and its military hardware also sustained major losses in the battle.
Al-Sweideh al-Kabireh is 33 km away from Raqqa and 8 km far from al-Tabaqa town.
Al-Sweideh al-Kabireh was used by ISIL as their most important base to repel attacks, dispatch forces and equipment to nearby battlefields.
Also, a high-ranking Syrian military official disclosed on Monday that the country’s government troops were on the verge of entering the countryside of the city of Raqqa.
“The Syrian government forces have taken control over the mountains in the Western part of Raqqa province and are now very close to pave their way into the Raqqa city countryside,” a Syrian army general revealed.
The Syrian general said that the government troops have blocked the supply lines between Southwestern Raqqa and the ISIL-controlled areas in the Eastern and Southeastern parts of Aleppo province.
He said that the primary goal of the Syrian army’s advances is to establish control over Sabkheh al-Jaboul in Southeastern Aleppo to cut the supply routes from Tabaqa in Raqqa countryside to the Eastern parts of Aleppo province.
“The Syrian army’s control over Sabkheh al-Jaboul region will be a prelude to a new operation towards the city of Maskaneh which is one of the three remaining ISIL bases in Aleppo province,” the Syrian general added.
He went on to say that the Maskaneh operations was expected to happen with the intensification of the military operation against the ISIL near the town of al-Bab, specially because the Syrian army recaptured several ISIL-controlled regions in near Al-Bab.
