Syrian Democratic Forces resume their clashes with ISIS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes the southwest Syria ceasefire agreed by Russia and the US since it would enable Iran to solidify its presence there, an official said Monday. The July 9 accord creating a de-escalation zone in the Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida regions includes areas that have seen Israel retaliate over stray fire into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels.

Israel has also conducted several air strikes elsewhere in Syria since the civil war there erupted in 2011. Most strikes have targeted arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah. The Iran-backed Shiite movement is a key supporter of Syria's regime and is fighting alongside government forces.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Netanyahu opposed the deal "because of (the) Iranian presence" in Syria. According to Haaretz newspaper, Netanyahu expressed Israel's opposition to the ceasefire during a Sunday meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

Citing a senior Israeli official, Haaretz said Israel believed Iran aimed to expand its presence in Syria, not only in terms of military advisers but also in the form of an airbase for Iranian aircraft, a naval base and extensive military forces. Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

On the military side, The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) launched a powerful attack on the town of ‘Ayn Daqqinah in the northern countryside of Aleppo, Monday, targeting the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) positions in the area.

Led by their Northern Storm Forces, the Free Syrian Army managed to break-through the SDF’s defenses at ‘Ayn Daqqinah during the morning hours on Monday. However, the FSA was unable to retake the town from the SDF, despite assistance from their Turkish allies that were providing artillery cover from the border.

The Syrian rebels faction, named “Ahl al-Diyar”, on Monday, launched an attack on members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Ayn Dakna Village, north of Aleppo. Qasioun News reported that the Syrian rebels shelled locations and gatherings of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the villages of Ayn Dakna and al-Baylouna, using heavy artillery and rockets, leaving many casualties.

Syrian government forces have swept across the territory south of Islamic State group stronghold Raqqa, capturing a string of villages and oil fields from the jihadists, state media said. The landscape south of Raqqa city strategically borders several provinces, Aleppo to the west, Homs to the south and Deir ez-Zor —much of which is still held by IS—to the east.

State news agency SANA said  that the government loyalists had scored significant gains against IS in the area. “Over the past two days, army units recaptured a number of villages and oil fields in western parts of Deir ez-Zor province and southern parts of Raqqa,” the agency said. It added that “dozens” of IS vehicles had been destroyed and that a number of jihadists, including some foreigners, had been killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said today the government advance was backed by heavy Syrian and Russian airstrikes. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of SOHR “Regime forces have captured between 1,500 and 1,800 square kilometres in Raqqa province over the past 48 hour.” He went on to add that troops were approaching the strategic region of Jabal al-Bishri, a mountain chain straddling parts of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Homs provinces. “If the regime captures it, it can take control of all those areas,” Abdel Rahman said.

Since 2014, Raqqa city has served as the de facto capital of the caliphate’s territory in Syria, and US-backed fighters are currently battling jihadists inside the city. Rival Syrian government troops have also chipped away at IS fighters in the border province.

Last month, regime forces targeted the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance west of Raqqa. The Pentagon downed a Syrian jet in retaliation. More than 330,000 people have been killed since Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Earlier, Ahl al-Diyar announced that it did not follow any party or military entity, and its main goal is to recapture villages and towns seized by the Syrian Democratic Forces in early 2016. It is noteworthy that the rebels in northern Syria formed lately three military blocs, due to the news about the approaching military operation on the area of ​​Afrin, north of Aleppo. Three persons were killed, on Sunday, in the explosion of two landmines planted by the Islamic State militants, in eastern Homs.

SANA reported that two landmines, emplaced by the Islamic State militants on Umm Haratayn Village – Masoudiyah road, located 80 km east of Homs, exploded while two motorcycles were passing in the area, killing three persons.

Meanwhile, a woman was wounded due to the Islamic State rocket shelling on al- Mukharram Town, east of the city of Homs. It is noteworthy that the Islamic State militants are stationed in a number of villages and towns in the eastern countryside of Homs, from where they launch several attacks on civilians in the nearby areas.