US-Backed Militants Reportedly Seize Syrian City

Media reports claim US-backed militants have taken control of a key city in Syria, marking a significant shift in the ongoing conflict. Learn more about the development.

According to Reuters, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-supported military coalition primarily led by Kurdish groups, has captured the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor.

According to reports from two security sources located in eastern Syria, the SDF had reportedly gained complete control of the city by Friday afternoon.

The SDF forces hold control over multiple neighborhoods in Aleppo that are surrounded by insurgents.

Activists linked to a local media outlet, with connections in the city, informed Reuters that Iranian-backed Iraqi fighters and Syrian government forces had retreated from Deir ez-Zor prior to the SDF’s advance.

According to an Iraqi security source, the SDF was also reportedly moving towards Albukamal, a Syrian town bordering Iraq. The source noted that the city could potentially be captured within 24 hours.

The recent progress by the SDF comes after a surprise attack last week by militant groups in Syria, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously called Jabhat al-Nusra. These insurgents have pushed back government troops and seized large areas of land in Aleppo and Idlib, managing to encircle the strategic city of Hama on Thursday as well. According to media reports from Friday, they are now moving towards Homs, Syria’s third-largest city.