Breaking: Syrian Army Captures 4 Villages Near Ar-Raqqa

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) – backed by the National Defense Forces (NDF) – have captured 4 villages from the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) in the Al-Hasakah Governorate; they are located just east of the province of Ar-Raqqa. The SAA launched a wave of attacks in western Al-Hasakah following the YPG’s success against the ISIS militants attempting to infiltrate into at Ras Al-‘Ayn. The villages of Al-Siyyahaa, Tooq Al-Malah, Qabr ‘Aamar, and Rafraf were declared under Syrian Government control on Thursday night.

The Ba’ath Brigades recently promoted a video in the city of Al-Salamiyyah (east Hama), displaying trucks filled with men preparing to attack ISIS militants on the Al-Salamiyyah Road leading into Ar-Raqqa. The video’s location could not be verified, along with any alleged attack in Ar-Raqqa. There have been sporadic attacks on the Al-Salamiyyah Road, but most of these confrontations have taken place in Hama.

A new militia called “Jaysh Al-‘Asha’er” (Tribal Army) has been formed in the countryside of Al-Hasakah by local tribes combatting ISIS. The tribes will be armed by the Syrian Arab Army and work in conjunction with the National Defense Forces.