Tuesday 21 March 2017

More Arab fighters join Kurdish-led SDF in fight for Raqqa

Raqqa – Thousands of Arab fighters have joined the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against ISIS in Raqqa.
One of the main Arab factions currently participating in the SDF’s Euphrates Wrath Operation for Raqqa is the Syrian Elite Forces.
Muhedi Jayila, Commander of the Syrian Elite Forces, said in an exclusive interview with ARA News that they have joined the SDF campaign to liberate Raqqa Governorate from Islamic State’s (ISIS) militants.
“We have participated in the first and second phases of the Euphrates Wrath Operation against ISIS in Raqqa. We have been supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since the begging of this campaign, and we’re now ready to join the third phase of the operation,” Jayila said.
The Arab commander confirmed that over 3,000 of their fighters have joined the battlefront in Raqqa, fighting alongside Kurdish and Christian troops.
“More than 3,000 fighters from the Syrian Elite Forces joined the SDF in the third phase of Euphrates Wrath Operation. All our fighters are from Deir ez-Zor Governorate,” he told ARA News.
“Today we’re fighting here [in Raqqa] and we are looking forward to also fight ISIS in our hometown Deir ez-Zor soon,” the commander said. “ISIS terrorists have forcibly displaced thousands of our people and suppressed many more.”
Muhedi pointed out that the Syrian Elite Forces work closely with other SDF factions to secure Raqqa, with the support of the US-led coalition.
“Our relationship with the Kurdish-led SDF forces is great and we have a high level of coordination and cooperation. We have also received support from the US-led coalition, similar to other factions of the SDF,” the Arab commander told ARA News in Raqqa.
He also hoped that the new Trump Administration would increase its support to their effort in eliminating ISIS in the group’s de facto capital of Raqqa. “With the new American Administration we hope for more support, especially with regard to heavy weapons and armoured vehicles.”
“Regarding Deir ez-Zor, we hope that the governorate would be liberated soon, bur we’re waiting for the coalition’s decision to wether start an anti-ISIS battle there as well [similar to Raqqa],” he said.
“We are well prepared for this campaign, and we have already started coordinating with local tribal groups to liberate the area from ISIS very soon,” said the commander of the Syrian Elite Forces.
The Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced the launch of the third phase of Euphrates Wrath Operation in Raqqa, a campaign aimed at isolating the Islamic State (ISIS) radical group in its de facto capital.

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