KOBANI – The official spokesperson for the Raqqa operation Jihan Sheikh Ahmed blamed the Syrian regime for an ISIS attack that killed at least 28 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) behind the frontlines in eastern Raqqa on 26 September reported the local Hawar News Agency (ANHA).



“The recent attacks of ISIS mercenaries launched after the infiltration of 100 mercenaries from areas controlled by the Baathist regime have revealed many circumstances and made clear the parties involved in the planning and implementation, as well as sleeping cells and hidden ammunition depots,” she said in a statement.



“The eastern countryside of Raqqa city, in addition to al-Mashlab district in the eastern part of Raqqa was attacked by the mercenaries of the terrorist organization which lasted three days following heavy clashes between fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of Raqqa as-Samra and the Mashlab district and surrounding areas,” she said.



Cihan Sheikh Ahmed said that in the three days of fighting, Syrian democratic forces managed to eliminate mercenaries, repel the attack and arrest several mercenaries. "The number of attackers was close to 100. They infiltrated from areas controlled by the Syrian regime's army and its militias on the other side of the Euphrates River,” she said.



The attack revealed how ISIS implements their plans and how they communicate with sleeper cells. They also indicate that the regime was responsible for facilitating the planning and implementation of this attack. “For this reason the battle ended fast and in victory,” she said.



The data of the SDF have revealed a lot of intelligence including the existence of hidden ammunition depots and sleeper cells in the areas that were targeted by the attack. After the attack an ammunition depot was discovered in the village of Jazrat in the countryside of Raqqa, which was raided by the SDF forces, and it’s sleeper cell eliminated.



In the attack on 26 September, the ISIS militants dressed themselves in uniforms of the SDF forces and the goal was to lift the siege on trapped ISIS fighters in Raqqa and open a gap. “But the heroic resistance shown by our forces foiled an attack and thwarted their plan," she said.



The ISIS forces were not able to push further then Samra and were eventually defeated. During the fighting, the SDF forces captured a lot of weapons, mines, maps, and documents, and five cars from which two were booby-trapped, that were used in the attack.



During the attack 28 fighters of the SDF forces were killed. “The 28 fighters rose to the rank of martyrdom after with their blood they reached the highest level of heroism and sacrifice,” she said.



So far, the Syrian government has not responded to the allegations by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In an earlier statement another important SDF leader Rojda Felat also blamed the Syrian Baath-regime of helping ISIS in their counterattack on the city of Raqqa.