Strategic dam captured by US backed troops near ISIL stronghold

Reuters/Arab News:
A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurds and Arab rebel groups, backed by US coalition planes, has captured a dam from Daesh, cutting a main supply route of the militants across the Euphrates, an alliance spokesman said.

Col. Talal Selo said the seizure of the dam helps isolate the terrorists’ strongholds in northern Aleppo from their territories east of the Euphrates river, where Raqqa city, their de facto capital, is located.

Col. Selo said the rapid advance by thousands of troops from the Democratic Forces of Syria had brought the dam, 22 km upstream from Raqqa, under their control on Saturday afternoon.

Since the US-backed alliance was formed last October, its fighters have opened several major offensives against Daesh with the ultimate goal of capturing Raqqa.

Selo said the intensive aerial bombing by a US-led coalition was instrumental in rapid advances since the campaign started four days ago.
“The coalition jets participated in the previous campaigns and this one and future ones too. We have a strategic partnership in which they provide the air cover and we provide the troops,” he said.

In Bangdad, meanwhile, Iraqi troops have pushed deeper into the heart of the last remaining district held by Daesh in Ramadi, despite being slowed by bombs and booby traps.
...

In what appears to be another operation against ISIL:
Kurdish and American commandos raided an Islamic State (ISIS) base near Hawija Friday night, killing a number of militants and capturing others, Kirkuk police said.

Brigadier Sarhad Qadir of the Kirkuk police told Rudaw that at 11:00 pm Friday night Kurdish commandos backed by American special forces stormed an ISIS court in the town of Riyadh east of Hawija where they killed a number of militants in the ensuing firefight.

Brig. Qadir said some militants were captured in the raid and Hussein Umair Assafi, a commander of the radical group was killed.

He added that more information on the raid is expected to be released by the special operations team.

It is believed the raid was to free Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers from ISIS captivity.
...
It appears the operation tempo against ISIL if finally picking up.  The special ops fighters appear to be exposing defensive weaknesses of the ISIL fighters.

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