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1st LD: Kurdish-led rebels enter Syria's Deir al-Zour to fight IS

Xinhua, February 22, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) entered Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour for the first time on Tuesday to fight the Islamic State (IS) group, the Saudi-funded Alarabiya TV reported.

There is no immediate explanation for the sudden attack on IS positions in the oil-rich Deir al-Zour, but reports emerging said that the SDF succeeded to take control over the villages of Fatasheh, Master and Kassar, within the administrative borders of Dier al-Zour.

A Kurdish source told Alarabiya that the SDF entered Deir al-Zour in an operation supported by the United States.

The SDF fighters have for months been making progress against the IS group in the countryside of the northern province of al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of the terror-designated group.

The aim of the battles on al-Raqqa countryside was to isolate the al-Raqqa from Deir al-Zour, and to isolate al-Raqqa city from its countryside to weaken IS.

There was no immediate word in Damascus on the SDF attack in Deir al-Zour, but the group has been enjoying the generous support of the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition in the battles against IS in northern Syria.

The IS enjoys considerable sway in Deir al-Zour, as it besieges the government-controlled part in the city, prompting the Syrian army to air drop food supplies to the city. Endit