DAMASCUS, SYRIA (7:45 A.M.) – On Friday evening, a source embedded with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) told Al-Masdar News that the Kurdish-led troops had finalized preparations for their Deir Ezzor offensive. This comes just days after the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) lifted the long-standing siege of the provincial capital.
According to the source, the initial step of the coming offensive looks to push south along both banks of the Khabur River to dislodge ISIS militants from a string of towns in the southern countryside of Hasakah.
Once this stage is completed, the US-backed SDF hopes to reach the northern side of the Euphrates River to set Rojava’s (Syrian Kurdistan) future border with the SAA.
Hundreds of jihadist fighters are reported to have retreated from the Khabur River front in recent weeks to fight the SAA in Deir Ezzor city instead, thereby rendering ISIS’ frontline in southern Hasakah relatively weak and vulnerable to attacks.
However, the SAA – heavily backed by Russia – hopes to cutoff the SDF from their intended plans by pushing troops east across the Euphrates River to reach the border with Iraq. In effect, a race has begun between the rival parties to liberate territory from ISIS.
At the moment, the vast majority of the SDF’s manpower is tied up in the ongoing Euphrates Wrath campaign inside Raqqa city.
Click here for an interactive battle map of Syria for a better strategic understanding.

US-backed SDF Begins Advancing Towards Deir Ezzor City

US-backed SDF Begins Advancing Towards Deir Ezzor City
Fighters from the Democratic Forces of Syria gather around the al-Khatoniyah lake area after they took control of it from Islamic State militants, near al Houl town in Hasaka province, Syria November 14, 2015. REUTERS/Rodi Said
On Friday, Kurdish sources claimed that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began advancing south of al-Shaddadah town in the southern Haskha countryside towards Deir Ezzor city.
According to the sources, the SDF captured the Hujayf Az-Zarrab area and the al-Jehev hill 25km north of Deir Ezzor city.
The SDF and the SDF-led Deir Ezzor Military Council (DMC) didn’t confirm any of this claims.
However, the Kurdish-Syrian Hawar News Agency reported that the SDF will make an important announcement in Abu Fas village south of al-Shaddadah town on Saturday morning.
The SDF will likely announce the beginning of its advance towards Deir Ezzor
Advancing towards Deir Ezzor, the SDF pursues political and economic goals. Deir Ezzor province is not a Kurdish area, and very few SDF fighter are from Deir Ezzor.
According to pro-government sources, the SDF real goals are to block the SAA advance towards the border with Iraq, and to capture the strategic Omar oil field.
When US Army colonel Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the US-led coalition in Syria, was asked on Twitter about the US-led coalition plans for Dier Ezzor, he replayed:
“SDF, our battle-tested and proven partners, with tribes from DaZ province are prepared to seize their villages and towns from ISIS.”
Mete Sohtaoğlu @metesohtaoglu
Replying to @OIRSpox
What is your plan about the  ?
Will you collobrate with Assad regime& Russia?
If the SDF operation towards Deir Ezzor is confirmed, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies will have a limited time to cross the Euphrates before SDF reach the eastern bank of the river.

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