(Zaman Al Wasl)- Senior commander in the US-led Syrian Democratic Forces has defected and joined the Russian troops in Deir al-Zor province, Furat Post Network said on Friday.
Yasser al-Dahla is the commander of Thi Qar brigade that based in the northern countryside of Deir al-Zor.
Al-Dahla move followed the defection of Talal Silo, a former commander in the Syrian Democratic Forces three weeks ago.
Silo told Reuters the SDF had arranged to bus all remaining Islamic State militants out of Raqqa even though it said at the time it was battling diehard foreign jihadists in the city.
Silo was the SDF spokesman and one of the officials who told the media in mid-October - when the deal was reached - that fewer than 300 fighters left Raqqa with their families while others would fight on.
He said they headed east to Islamic State-controlled areas around Deir al-Zor, where the Syrian army and forces supporting President Bashar al-Assad were gaining ground.
For three days the SDF banned people from going to Raqqa, saying fighting was in progress to deal with militants who had not given themselves up.
“It was all theater,” Silo said.
“The announcement was cover for those who left for Deir al-Zor”, he said, adding that the agreement was endorsed by the United States which wanted a swift end to the Raqqa battle so the SDF could move on towards Deir al-Zor.
Zaman A Wasl
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