The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has suffered a major blow to it ranks amid one of the largest ISIS offensives in eastern Syria this year.
After a three-day engagement, ISIS terrorists managed to temporarily seize the town of Al-Bahra on the eastern shore of the Euphrates River, later withdrawing due to intense airstrikes by US-led Coalition warplanes.
According to ISIS, the battle for Al-Bahra alone resulted in the terrorist group’s killing of 32 SDF fighters; the SDF has yet to comment on either ISIS or its own losses.
However, the real blow to SDF ranks seems to be much higher when considering the larger offensive that took place not just for Al-Bahra, but also in the desert area east of it where clashes raged for several days. Based on various reports released by local sources over the last three days, it appears that nearly one hundred SDF fighters have been killed and captured.
Furthermore, several military vehicles belonging to the SDF were destroyed and at least two SDF forward bases in the desert region east of Al-Bahra overrun and then sacked.
The specific SDF faction that endured the brunt of the losses appears to be the Deir ez-Zour Military Council (DMC) group and not the Kurdish YPG which is so often, and incorrectly, considered to be interchangeable with the term ‘SDF’.
The DMC – whose ranks are mostly composed of poorly-trained and seemingly less motivated Arab fighters – has a record of crumbling fast under sustained ISIS attacks; although, in the case of the Al-Bahra battle, it might be fair to say that the sheer amount of firepower thrown against them during the jihadist onslaught would be enough to rout any unprepared force.
Read More : ISIS captures key Euphrates town in eastern Syria after ripping open SDF lines (+ Video)
Indeed, the effectiveness of the ISIS attack seems to be mostly due to surprise, speed and massed firepower. In specific regards to firepower, video footage (released by ISIS media) shows the terrorist group making use of cannon-armed trucks, recoilless rifles, heavy machine guns and mortars.
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