PHOTO: Regime troops in offensive advancing on Raqqa Province (Eyad al-Hosein)


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Mainstream media headlines on Sunday that the Islamic State is in danger of losing the biggest cities that it controls in northern Syria.

Articles in outlets like Reuters and Al Jazeera are spurred by the first entry of the Syrian military into Raqqa Province since it was defeated by rebels and the jihadists of Jabhat al-Nusra in 2013. ISIS subsequently took over much of the area, including Raqqa city.

On Friday regime troops supported by Russian airstrikes, crossed the Hama-Raqqa border and moved into the village of Abu Allaj. The frontline is about 35 km (22 miles) west of the Taqba airbase, which in turn is 50 km (31 miles) from Raqqa city.

Drone footage of regime units:

The advance came days after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces launched an offensive against the Islamic State’s main position in Aleppo Province, the city of Manbij. In neighboring Iraq, ISIS is facing an assault by the Iraqi military on the city of Fallujah, although the offensive was halted by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi last week, purportedly because of fears of civilian casualties.

See Iraq Feature: Prime Minister Orders Halt to Fallujah Offensive

Missing the Whole Picture

However, Sunday’s stories ignore other developments which indicate that the Islamic State may hold its cities for some time to come.

Even as the Syrian military made its symbolic advance on Friday, pro-Assad forces were suffering another loss on the southern Aleppo front against rebels and Jabhat al-Nusra. In the third significant gain in two months, the Jaish al-Fatah rebel bloc captured areas east and south of the town of Khan Tuman, overrunning Iranian units and Iranian-led foreign militias.

The pro-Assad units held their lines on Saturday, but heavy fighting continued for al-Khalasa. Rebel capture of the town would both open the possibility of a corridor into Aleppo city and press the regime in the town of al-Hadher to the south.

See Syria Daily, June 4: Rebels Defeat Iran and Assad Regime South of Aleppo

The regime also suffered another blow on Saturday when the Free Syrian Army destroyed an Iranian-Syrian operations center with an anti-tank guided missile. Rebels said at least three Iranian officers died in the attack east of Aleppo city.

The Islamic State also advanced against the Syrian army on another front on Saturday, capturing the hilltop of Tal Tayyim in southwest Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria. ISIS is now threatening the nearby oilfields and the last regime positions in the Thardeh mountains.

Regime troops retreat, leaving behind a wounded colleague:

SYRIA ARMY RETREAT DEIR EZ-ZOR


Russian-Regime Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Aleppo and Idlib Provinces

Russian and regime bombing across Aleppo and Idlib Provinces on Sunday have killed dozens of people.

Activists said more than 40 people have died in Aleppo city alone.

There are also reports of 15 people killed in Idlib Province. Bombed civilian sites included a mosque.

IDLIB BOMBED 05-06-16

A slain first responder in Aleppo, Abu Fadel, was interviewed in late April about a Russian-regime attack that destroyed a medical warehouse:

IDLIB BOMBED 05-06-16 2

With pro-Assad forces under pressure near Aleppo, Russian and regime warplanes have stepped up strikes in the past week. Scores of civilians have been killed each day, including dozens last Monday near Idlib’s National Hospital.

See Syria Videos and Pictures: Deadly Attacks Near Idlib’s National Hospital

Meanwhile, a reporter for the opposition Local Coordination Committees says a warplane, “probably Russian”, has been shot down on the southern Aleppo front near Khalasa.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov denied that any Russian warplane had been downed: “All aircraft are in contact with the Russian airbase at the Hmeymim airfield.”

Smoke rising from the scene of the crash:

Russian and regime warplanes have been trying to check a rebel offensive which has taken territory to the east and south of the town of Khan Tuman since Friday. The Jaish al-Fatah rebel bloc and pro-Assad forces have been fighting for Khalasa since Friday night.


Top Kurdish Commander Killed in Offensive on Islamic State’s Manbij

Prominent Syrian Kurdish commander Abu Layla died Sunday, several days after he was wounded during the offensive against the Islamic State-held city of Manbij in Aleppo Province. sustaining injuries during a U.S.-backed campaign to unseat the Islamic State group from its de-facto Syrian capital, Raqqa.

Abu Layla, who commanded a brigade of the Syrian Democratic Forces, was hit by sniper fire. He was evacuated by US forces to a hospital in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah.

The commander was renowned for his role in the defense of the Syrian Kurdish center of Kobane against a four-month ISIS assault between September 2014 and January 2015.

A video tribute to Abu Layla:


State Media: 17 Killed by Shelling in Aleppo City

State news agency SANA claims that 17 civilians were killed and 124 wounded by shelling of regime-held areas of Aleppo city on Saturday.

A police source said rockets were fired on the Earlier, a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorist groups fired several rocket shells on al-Midan, al-Faid, al-Hamadaniyeh, al-Ramouseh, Saif al-Dawla, and al-Suleimaniyah neighborhoods.