(Zaman Al Wasl)- Islamic State said it had foiled the U.S.-led coalition's air-drop onto the southern bank of the Euphrates west of Tabqa town last Tuesday, Amaq news agency said as Friday's strategic advance of the U.S.-backed forces refutes ISIS claims.
The Pentagon said on Wednesday the U.S. military had airlifted allied SDF fighters near Tabqa, providing them fire support in a move aimed at retaking a major dam that remains in the hands of Islamic State.
The ISIS-run news agency claims of foiling the airdrop are meaningless as the SDF and U.S. special forces have been pressing more advances west of Raqqa, and since the countdown for Raqqa offensive is already started, activists said.
Tabqa is about 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa, which Islamic State has used for years as one of its main bases of operations, including to plan and direct attacks overseas, and which sits along the northern bank of the Euphrates.
On Friday, the Syrian Democratic Forces reached one side of the Tabqa dam, local campaign officials told Reuters.
The dam, the biggest on the Euphrates, stretches 4km across the river to the southern bank and provides one of the few land crossings remaining after the destruction of many bridges during the conflict.
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With the help of coalition air strikes and U.S. special forces on the ground, the SDF launched an operation late last year to isolate Raqqa and has surrounded the city in a large pocket of land backing onto the river.
The Pentagon said on Wednesday the U.S. military had airlifted allied SDF fighters near Tabqa, providing them fire support in a move aimed at retaking a major dam that remains in the hands of Islamic State.
The ISIS-run news agency claims of foiling the airdrop are meaningless as the SDF and U.S. special forces have been pressing more advances west of Raqqa, and since the countdown for Raqqa offensive is already started, activists said.
Tabqa is about 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa, which Islamic State has used for years as one of its main bases of operations, including to plan and direct attacks overseas, and which sits along the northern bank of the Euphrates.
On Friday, the Syrian Democratic Forces reached one side of the Tabqa dam, local campaign officials told Reuters.
The dam, the biggest on the Euphrates, stretches 4km across the river to the southern bank and provides one of the few land crossings remaining after the destruction of many bridges during the conflict.
Also In World News
With the help of coalition air strikes and U.S. special forces on the ground, the SDF launched an operation late last year to isolate Raqqa and has surrounded the city in a large pocket of land backing onto the river.
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