(Zaman Al Wals)- At least 2000 people, mostly women and children, have fled the northeastern countryside of Hasakah province as Syrian regime forces and Kurdish militia fight separate battles with ISIS, an activist said.
Kalil Khatouni, local activist, told Zaman al-Wasl that more than 2000 people fled al-Houl village in the northeastern countryside of the strategic province of Hasakah to neighboring villages and some fled to Deir Ezzor province.
Forces loyal to Bashar Assad and fighters from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) launched uncoordinated offensives against ISIS strongholds, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday.
The Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that after three days of clashes, regime forces bolstered by fighters from Arab tribes had secured control over 23 villages in the center of the province from ISIS.
"ISIS has launched counter-attacks on regime checkpoints, while the regime fortifies its positions with support from local Arab tribes," Abdel Rahman added.
He said YPG fighters were meanwhile also battling ISIS alongside Arab tribes outside the village of Tal Tamr in Hasakah's southwest.
"The YPG fighters in Tal Tamr are shelling ISIS around the area to lure ISIS to respond, so they can identify their positions" and call for strikes by the U.S.-led coalition waging an air campaign against ISIS, he said.
"But ISIS is avoiding any response in order not to give away its positions."
ISIS launched an attack last week on the areas around Kurdish-controlled Tal Tamr and kidnapped 220 Assyrian Christians from 11 towns.
Nineteen of those kidnapped were freed Sunday after ransoms were paid.
Control of Hasakah province is split between ISIS, regime fighters and Kurdish militia, with overlap at a number of points. (With AFP)
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