Following warplane downing and the clashes between the regime forces and the SDF, calm prevails but tensions persist along the contact lines between both parties near Al-Resafa
Al-Raqqah Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the SOHR learned that clashes between the regime forces and their Syrian and non-Syrian allied militiamen on one hand and the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by the International Coalition on the other, in the north and northwest of the Al-Resafa city, came to an end after hours of breaking out yesterday, the 18th of June 2017. The International Coalition downed one of the regime’s warplanes while flying over Al-Resafa area. The fate of the pilot is still unknown. Meanwhile, tensions continue to persist in the area as the regime forces managed to take control of Jaydin village which used to be under the control of ISIS. The regime forces are also trying to advance into Shwihna village, north of which the clashes between them and the SDF broke out yesterday.
Clashes stopped on this side of the southern countryside of Al-Raqqah with the intensity of fighting declining and its frequency becoming more sporadic between the SDF and Manbij Military Council Forces on one hand and ISIS on the other at the western banks of the Euphrates, west of Al-Raqqah city, amid attempts of the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces to achieve more advancements after reaching the outskirts of Kasrat Al-Sheikh Jumaa village in order to control the area of Al-Kasrat and continue the siege and encirclement operation of ISIS in Al-Raqqah from its four sides.
The fate of the group besieged by the Syria Elite Forces (SEF) is also still unknown. 16 fighters have been sieged by the members of ISIS at Bab Baghdad, located at the walls of the old city in Al-Raqqah city, when the latter managed to encircle them by using tunnels they dug before.
Meanwhile, the International Coalition warplanes continue to target areas in Al-Raqqah city while the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces continue their shelling, killing at least 4 more people. While clashes continue in areas at the eastern outskirts of Al-Raqqah city between the SEF and the SDF on one hand and ISIS on the other.