Syrian army bombards Kurdish-led forces in Deir al-Zor

DEIR AL-ZOR, Syria (Kurdistan 24) – The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Saturday said six of their fighters were wounded by an airstrike on their positions in the countryside of Deir al-Zor Province in eastern Syria.

In an online statement, the command of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the key component of the SDF, said their positions near the Industrial Zone, east of the Euphrates River in Deir al-Zor countryside, were bombarded by Russian and Syrian warplanes.

“Such attacks [by the Syrian regime and their allies] are granting a respite to Da’esh mercenaries who are being defeated by our forces,” Sipan Hamo, the YPG general commander, said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State (IS).

Hamo further pointed out that Russia and the US-led coalition were already informed the SDF was fighting to liberate east of the Euphrates and the Deir al-Zor countryside.

“We will respond to any side that tries to hinder the progress of our forces because any attacks on our forces serve Da’esh and contribute to prolonging the presence of terrorism,” he said.  

The SDF also condemned the attacks on their positions calling on the attackers to stop such actions that only serve IS militants.

Syrian government forces, supported by Russian airstrikes and Iran-backed militias, and the SDF are converging on IS in separate offensives around Deir al-Zor.

The Syrian government side has advanced into the city from the west after they broke a three-year IS siege of the city on the southern bank of the river.

Meanwhile, the Deir al-Zor Military Council (DMC), fighting as part of the SDF, has advanced toward Deir al-Zor from the northern side of the river since launching an offensive into the province last week.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany