The regime forces advance more into Al-Raqqah province and control 15 villages and location on the road of Salamiyah – al-Raqqah and become about 3.5 km south of Al-Tabaqa airbase
Clashes continue at a violent pace between the members of the “Islamic State” organization against the regime forces supported by the gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities deep within Al-Raqqah province, in the continued process launched by the regime forces and led by Tiger Groups and the support of the Lebanese Hezbollah and the attribution of the Russian and the regime’s warplane and the Russian artillery, on 17th of January 2017, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored a new and wide advancement within Al-Raqqah city by the regime forces and the militiamen loyal to them, where they took control of 14 villages, wells and location on the road of Salamiyah – Ithriyah – Al-Resafa – Al-Raqqah, and the regime forces were able to advance and get close to Al-Resafa and the junction that takes from it to Al-Raqqah city, which is also close to Jaydin village in the southern countryside of Al-Tabaqa, and close to the Al-Tabaqa airbase about 3.5 km south of it.
This advancement, which was achieved by the regime forces supported by the gunmen loyalists and with a cover of extensive shelling, enabled them to extend their control over the road of Salamiyah – Al-Resafa – Al-Raqqah, and now the regime forces control about 45 km of this road, while SOHR received confirmed information about the death and injury of members of both parties.