Kurds, Christians making new gains in northeast Syria

Kurdish and Christian forces have made new gains in northeastern Syria with a strategic village now retaken from ISIL Takfiri terrorists.

An official in the People's Protection Units, or YPG, confirmed Saturday that the forces, along with Christian fighters, have liberated a key village from ISIL’s control after fierce clashes with the Takfiris in Hasakah Province.

Nasser Haj Mansour said the Christian village of Tal Maghas was recaptured overnight. The operation has reportedly had the support of US-led coalition airstrikes with fighter jets bombarding the positions of ISIL militants mainly in Tal Tamr village, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Tal Maghas.

Intense clashes continued in Tal Tamr on Saturday with fighters from the Christian Syriac Military Council fighting along YPG militants around the village. Dozens of Christian forces and ISIL militants have been killed in fighting in Hasakah over the past week.

The YPG recently called on young men in the Hasakah to join the fights against ISIL as it claims the terrorists are reinforcing their positions by hiring more militants from Iraq and Syria. In January, YPG fighters managed to liberate the strategic border town of Kobani and the surrounding villages, a flashpoint region where ISIL militants were controlling for months.

Kurdish forces have been fiercely battling ISIL terrorists in Syria and neighboring Iraq in recent months. The coalition which claims to be providing help to the battle through its airstrikes has no authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

The northeastern corner of Syria is considered strategically important in the fight against the Takfiri terror group since it borders territory controlled by the group in Iraq.

MS/HMV/SS

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