HASAKA, Syria – The Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, have captured a key district of southern Hasaka, as fierce fighting continues against ISIS in the disputed city.
The Kurdish fighter, backed by coalition warplanes, managed on Friday to capture the Al-Filaha district and a neighborhood known as Red Villas, said Ivan Hasib, Rudaw’s correspondent in Hasaka.
“Ninety percent of ISIS-controlled areas are now surrounded by the Kurdish fighters,” said Hasib.
According to Hasib, the previously slow progress of Kurdish forces on the ground was due to the weakness of the Syrian Army troops fighting in the area.
Syrian soldiers loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are fighting alongside YPG units in some areas of Hasaka, but Hasib said the troops fail to hold territory from ISIS offensives.
Rudaw's correspondent said ISIS positions in southern areas of Hasaka were heavily shelled by the artillery of the Syrian Army on the first day of Eid on Friday.
The areas that were bombarded include Al-Sakan Al-Shababy and Al-Zuhur quarters, the outskirts of the College of Arts as well as Al-Nashwa quarter and the Red Villas area.
At least ten ISIS fighters were killed and many others were forced to withdraw, said Hasib.
Intense fighting took place between ISIS and the Syrian Army forces over the past 24 hours in the southern suburbs of Hasaka, said the source.
ISIS attempted to infiltrate those areas Friday night, leading to tough battles in Red Villas, in addition to Al-Sharia and Al-Nashwa Squares to the west.
The Syrian forces advanced towards electricity facilities and have control of key points in that area.
