Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia dealt a vital blow to Isis yesterday, cutting the extremists’ supply line in northern Syria.
The US-backed coalition seized the main road between Isis-held Raqqa and eastern Deir Ezzor province, which is partially controlled by the death cult.
The SDF fighters are now just five miles north of Raqqa, having liberated a number of villages along the route, like reported by morningstaronline.co.uk.
Their offensive, which started last month as part of Operation Euphrates Wrath, is intended to surround and capture the de facto capital of Islamic State’s selfdeclared caliphate.
The Syrian army’s recent march from Aleppo towards the Euphrates has cut the extremists’ supply line from Turkey. Spokesman Talal Sillo confirmed that SDF forces had cut the main supply line to Deir Ezzor. The eastern city of 200,000 itself has been besieged by Isis for three years now. But he added that it was too early to impose a siege on Raqqa with Isis still controlling areas west and south of the city.
The advance has angered Turkey, which has threatened to drive the Kurdish forces in the town of Manbij back across the Euphrates river, prompting the SDF to ask Russia and the Syrian army to act as a buffer between its fighters and Turkish forces currently stationed in al-Bab.
On Sunday the SDF-affiliated Manbij Military Council (MMC) released a statement to clarify its position on handing control of areas to the Syrian government in a deal signed in the presence of Russian officials. “We do not allow any passage of forces into the area,” the council said.
The MMC general command confirmed: “The agreement made between Russia and us, the Manbij Military Council, only comprises of the border line of the Arima region and Euphrates Shield.”
The statement said the town had been liberated from Isis by the US-backed coalition, “and we are carrying out the defence of Manbij as the same forces.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed yesterday that talks aimed at reaching a Syrian settlement between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin would take place at the end of the week.
