Hundreds of meters separate the “Euphrates Wrath” Forces from Ekirshi area, which had a camp and witnessed the largest mass execution of ISIS members

Al-Raqqah Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the clashes continue between the Syria Democratic Forces and the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces against the “Islamic State” organization in areas south of Al-Raqqah city, at the southern banks of the Euphrates River, where SDF and “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces were able to achieve advancement east of Ratla village at the southern banks of the Euphrates River, and they controlled parts of Kasrat Muhammad Agha “Kasrat Srur”, while the violent clashes continue between both parties, in an attempt to complete control over it by the Syria Democratic Forces, while members of the organization seek to recover what they have lost, and in case the Syria Democratic Forces were able to hold control of the village, that would allow them to advance to Ekirshi area, which had a training camp for members of the “Islamic State” organization, known as the “Sheikh Osama bin Laden Camp”, which in the second half of 2015 has witnessed the largest execution of ISIS members by ISIS organization, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published then that a Syrian commander defected of the “Islamic State” organization told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the “Islamic State” organization executed more than 200 Chechen and central Asian nationality members , the source -who is one of the former second-line commanders of the organization- confirmed that the members were about to defect from the “Islamic State” organization and join the ranks of al-Nusra Front (al-Qaeda in the Levant), before being exposed by the security leaders of the organization, where the members who tried to flee were taken to Ekirshi area, where there was a camp of the organization in Al-Raqqah city, where the executed bodies were dumped in al-Hutah area in the countryside of Al-Raqqah, which has a large natural pit of which the organized since its control of the area has turned into a place to throw the bodies of its victims.

The clashes also continue in areas in the Old City and the outskirts of Hisham bin Abdul Malek neighborhood and the vicinity of al-Hal Market and al-Bareed neighborhood east and west of the city, between the Syria Democratic Forces supported by the US Special Forces, against the “Islamic State” organization, the clashes are accompanied by bombing by the International Coalition warplanes on the “Islamic State” organization’s controlled areas.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that it rose to at least 224 including an SOHR activist. 224 represent the number of Syrian civilians whose death has been documented by the SOHR since the 5th of June 2017 until dawn today, the 6th of July. Fatalities included at least 38 children below the age of 18 and 28 female citizens above 18. In addition, airstrikes left hundreds of civilians injured, with various degrees of severity, some of whom had their limbs amputated, some were left with permanent disabilities and some are still in a critical condition, which means that the death toll is still likely to rise. Moreover, the intensive shelling that targeted the city, its surroundings and outskirts destroyed tens of houses and public utilities.

On the other hand, at least 311 ISIS elements, including local commanders and group commanders, were killed as a result of the airstrikes carried out by the International Coalition warplanes, the intensive shelling on Al-Raqqah city and its outskirts, and the military operations carried out by the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces which consist of the Syria Democratic Forces and the Syrian Elite Forces backed by the US Special Forces with the support of the International Coalition warplanes. Confirmed information was also reported about the death of more elements and the injury of tens of others.

In addition, the SOHR documented the death of 106 fighters of the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces, including two of the Syrian Elite Forces and the rest are among the SDF, which are formed from fighters of YPG and Al-Manbij Military Council, who died in bombings, shelling and clashes with ISIS in Al-Raqqah city and at the southern banks of the Euphrates.

Also on the 5th of July 2017 a new batch of weapons sent by the International Coalition have entered areas controlled by the Syria Democratic Forces, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the entry of tens of trucks carrying weapons and huge military reinforcements, from the Syrian-Iraqi border to areas controlled by the Syria Democratic Forces in Al-Hasaka province and they headed towards Al-Raqqah city, to participate in the grand battle of Al-Raqqah, which aims to expel the “Islamic State” organization out of Al-Raqqah city.