On Sunday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) started storming on the ISIS-held town of al-Suwar in the northern Deir Ezzor countryside, according to Kurdish sources. The SDF didn’t seized al-Suwar, however, SDF fighters captured 4 ISIS fighters during the clashes around the town.
From its side, the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq announced that ISIS fighters repelled an attack of the SDF on al-Kubar village in the northwestern Deir Ezzor countryside. ISIS fighters targeted SDF fighters with a VBIED, and killed and injured several SDF fighters, according to Amaq.
Meanwhile, the SDF announced that its fighters were advancing towards al-Imam al-Nawawī mosque in the center of Raqqa city. Clashes were also ongoing between the SDF and ISIS in al-Andalus district in the northern part of the city. Amaq claimed that ISIS fighters killed 7 SDF fighters, injured 3 others and destroyed a Humvee vehicle of the SDF.
Amaq also released a video and photos of the ongoing clashes in al-Firdous district in the center of Raqqa city that the SDF had claimed previously to capture.
Despite mutltiple reports in pro-Kurdish sources that the ISIS defense has fully collapsed in Raqqa, it’s unlikely that SDF will be able to capture the city before the end of September.