Following intense fighting between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi ordered the withdrawal of his personnel from contested areas of Aleppo province.
The Islamic State has been battling Turkey and allied groups north of Al Bab, Syria since Nov. 2016. The US was reluctant, at first, to support Turkey’s ground operations near the town. But that changed after Turkey turned to Russia for aerial support. The Syrian regime and its allies also launched an offensive south of Al Bab earlier this month.
Jaysh al Fateh, a coalition cofounded by Al Nusrah Front, launched a new offensive in Syria’s Aleppo province in the past two days. The assault is designed to extend Jaysh al Fateh’s control over the territory surrounding the town of Khan Tuman, which was seized last month.
A crucial battle in Syria’s Aleppo province pits Bashar al Assad’s regime and its allies against jihadists, Islamists, and other rebel factions.