Roundup: IS launches retaliatory offensives in northern Syria after setbacks

After suffering losses to the Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, the Islamic State (IS) militants unleashed a retaliatory offensive against predominantly Kurdish areas in northern Syria on Thursday.

The terror-labeled group started simultaneous attacks against the Kurdish fighters in the predominantly-Kurdish city of Ayn al-Arab, or Kobane, and against the Syrian government forces in the city of Hasaka in northern Syria.

In Ayn al-Arab, in the northern countryside of Aleppo province near Turkey, the IS militants infiltrated the city in disguise, wearing the uniform of the Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units (YPG) and allied rebel groups, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based watchdog group.

The IS members infiltrated parts of the city and snipers fanned out in several areas, triggering violent battles with YPG fighters, during which 22 IS militants and 35 people, including YPG fighters, were killed.

The Observatory said the bodies of the IS militants were still tossed on the streets of Ayn al-Arab, adding that three explosions rocked that city, when three IS suicide bombers detonated three car bombs in different areas, mainly on the border point between Ayn al-Arab and Turkey.

The IS surprise attack against Ayn al-Arab has sent the chill down the civilians' spines there, as the IS had overran the city before and was forcibly dislodged out of the city five months ago.

Upon entering the town of Barkh Butan in southern Ayn al-Arab, the IS assailants shot dead 20 Kurdish civilians, who held up weapons to defend their town.

Observers said the IS wanted to storm Ayn al-Arab to revenge the losses it has recently suffered at the hands of Kurdish fighters in predominantly Kurdish areas in northern Syria.

Over the past few days, the YPG and allied rebel groups stripped the IS of several towns and areas in the northern countryside of the IS de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria, pushing the IS to call for back up forces to fortify its positions in the city of Raqqa.

Reports said the YPG and affiliated rebel groups are only 30 km from central Raqqa.

In another major offensive Thursday, the IS militants launched a wide-scale assault on Syria's northern city of Hasaka, storming districts in the southern part of that city, whose northern and northwestern parts contain a large community of Kurds.

Intense clashes broke out between Syrian government forces and IS militants in the southern districts of Hasaka, according to the Observatory.

The London-based watchdog said the battles were coupled with intense shelling by both sides, and government airstrikes against the positions overran by IS in southern Hasaka.

IS militants detonated at least one booby-trapped vehicle at a government troops' checkpoint at the western entrance of Hasaka, said the Observatory, adding that the militants reached the Sport City street, adjacent to the Central Prison and the Criminal Intelligence Branch, after storming districts of Nashweh and Sharia in the southern and southwestern parts of Hasaka.

According to the Observatory, which relies on a network of activists on the ground inside Syria, at least 30 government soldiers and 20 IS militants were killed during Thursday's battles.

Meanwhile, Syria's state-run al-Ekhbarieh TV said government troops are fighting intense battles against IS militants in Nashweh neighborhood, which, it said, houses many displaced families from the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, where the IS holds considerable sway.

It said the IS are committing crimes against the residents of that neighborhood.

The Kurds in Hasaka have a large community in the northern and northwestern parts of that city while the government troops hold positions in the southern part of Hasaka.

The Ekhbarieh TV said Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units are monitoring the battles in southern Hasaka without intervening.

Earlier this week, the IS staged several car bombings in Hasaka, leaving dozens of people wounded or killed. The attack on Hasaka on Thursday has been the second in June.

The last attack was foiled by government forces, and the Kurdish fighters said then also that they would not interfere in the battles.

Abdul-Karim Sorkhan, a Kurdish leader, said both the Syrian forces and IS are antagonist to the Kurds, and that the Kurdish fighters are on standby to protect the densely Kurdish populated areas in the northern and western parts of the city.

In another escalation Thursday, a coalition of 51 rebel and jihadi groups declared the start of a major offensive to drive government forces out of the southern province of Daraa.

The offensive, dubbed "the Storm of the South," aims to take control of the entire city of Daraa and its vicinity, according to the Observatory.

Intense battles have been raging since Thursday morning in Daraa between government forces and an array of jihadist groups, which targeted government positions with mortars and heavy machine guns near the town of Atman in the countryside of Daraa, according to the Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on the ground inside Syria.

The Observatory said as many as 60 crude barrel bombs were dropped on different rebel positions in Daraa, which led to the killing of six civilians.

The activist group said three Syrian soldiers were killed and three others snatched by rebels during Thursday's battles in Daraa.

Meanwhile, state news agency SANA said government forces killed dozens of terrorists who attempted to attack military positions in Daraa on Thursday.

Citing a military source, SANA said government troops killed 33 terrorists in the countryside of Daraa.

The jihadi groups, mainly the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, have been eyeing the full capture of Daraa, due to its location, less than 100 km from the capital Damascus and its proximity to Jordanian borders, where the militants are reportedly receiving supplies.

The pan-Arab al-Mayadeen said the Syrian forces succeeded to foil the attack of the rebels on military positions in Daraa so far, while activists said the battles for Daraa are still ongoing, the same case in Ayn al-Arab and Hasaka. Endit