The conquest comes after weeks of intense fighting. The jihadists used snipers and suicide bombers to defend the territory. New route opened for final attack on the Caliphate stronghold. Ankara outraged by Washington's decision to arm Kurdish fighting groups in Syria. High tension on the eve of the summit between Trump and Erdogan.
Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Arab-Kurdish alliance that fights against the Islamic State (IS) has announced the re-conquest of a town of strategic importance so far under the control of jihadist militias. The Syrian Democratic Forces (Sdf) have reportedly "completely freed" the city of Tabqa and the nearby dam, which are about 40 km west of Raqqa, the stronghold of the "Caliphate" in Syria.
The town of Tabqa and the nearby dam, located on the river Euphrates, are located in the governorate of Raqqa, in central-northern Syria. Fighting in the area began at the end of March and several attempts to "take the Tabqa Dam" by the Kurdish forces began.
Kurdish-Syrian military spokesmen have documented the presence of Kurdish militiamen in the plant with photos and videos.
Analysts and experts point out that the military victory opens a new route for the siege of Raqqa, the ultimate goal of advancing Arab-Kurdish forces. The military had to overcome fierce resistance against the jihadists, who used snipers and suicide bombers to defend the territory.
The siege presented no few risks because damages to the dam would have caused the flooding of a large area in the region. Sdf spokesman Talal Sello, stated that "joint operations are under way" to secure the city.
The Arab-Kurdish coalition's military success comes a few hours from the announcement by the US administration that it intends to provide new weapons to the Kurdish fighters of the People's Guardianship Units (Ypg) engaged in the struggle against the Isis. A decision which has enraged Ankara, which considers Kurdish fighters like terrorists.
The issue is likely to worsen the relationship between the White House and its Turkish NATO ally even more, less than a week from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's official visit to the United States, when the Turkish leader and US counterpart Donald Trump are expected to hold talks.
For Washington, Kurdish combat units represent a strategic ally in the struggle against the Islamic State in Syria. In American plans, the Kurdish forces will be the first to attack the jihadist stronghold when the final assault on Raqqa's recapture will be launched.
Ankara, on the other hand, believes the Syrian section of the Kurdish Workers Party (PAK), which since 1984 promotes an armed insurrection aimed at creating a Kurdish autonomous entity in the region that today comprises Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Nurettin Canikli, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister, stresses that "the supply of weapons to the Ypg is unacceptable" and this policy "will not benefit anyone" and "we hope it will be corrected".
Turkey hosts some 14 million Kurds. Ankara fears that with the multiplication of Kurdish autonomous territories in Syria and Iraq, a secession of the Kurdish region in the southeastern part of the country may occur.