A spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces Brigadier General Talal Sallou confirmed the control of the entire city of Tabqa from the grip of ISIS.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab factions backed by Washington, controlled yesterday more than 70 percent of the city of Tabqa, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Syrian Democratic Forces published pictures showing weapons and ammunition in the recently controlled neighborhoods of the city.

Since 2014, the city of Tabqa has strategic importance as it opens the way for Syria's democratic forces to al-Raqqa area which has the largest water dam in the country.

The full control comes a week after Syria's demilitarized forces entered the town 55 km west of Raqqa.

Syria's democratic forces face fierce resistance from ISIS fighters, who are also using armed planes against the Iraqi forces, which are trying to expel them from the northern city of Mosul.

According to the observatory, ISIS constantly utilize suicide bombers and car bombs to target locations of the Syrian Democratic forces, in an attempt to obstruct their progress. This is a strategy they implement whenever they lose their control over a location.

The city of Tabqa is a major ISIS base near an important dam bearing its name, and has a prison that is still under the control of the organization

Recapturing the city of Tabqa is part of the “Wrath of the Euphrates” operation initiated by the Syrian Democratic Forces, with the support of the International Coalition in November to expel ISIS.

Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:48 - GMT 06:48