Non-Stop Fighting in Al-Hasakah Stains the Khabour River with Blood

As the tenth day of ISIL offensive concluded on Wednesday night, the fierce firefights that involved the aforementioned terrorist group and the Syrian Armed Forces did not end; in fact, the clashes only intensified between the two opposing parties, as the tumultuous sound of gunfire and mortar shells roared through the northern neighborhoods of Al-Hasakah City.

For the fourth straight day, ISIL terrorists infiltrated the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline positions at the Al-Ghuweiran District in southern Al-Hasakah, only to concede the captured southern and eastern neighborhoods after a series of violent firefights on Wednesday afternoon; this area was cleared by the Syrian Arab Army’s 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard, alongside the Deir Ezzor tribesmen from “Kata’eb Aswad Al-Sharqiyah.”

Despite their success at the Al-Ghuweiran District, the Syrian Armed Forces faced a determined ISIS contingent at the Al-Khabour and Al-Nishwa Districts, resulting in non-stop firefights that lasted until 4:30 A.M. (Al-Hasakah Time) on Thursday morning.

According to a military source in Al-Hasakah City, the firefights between the Syrian Armed Forces and the militants from ISIS have restarted in Al-Hasakah City, as the aforementioned terrorist group targeted the Al-Khabour and Al-Kaswah Districts in the western sector of the provincial capital.

The source also confirmed that the YPG has taken full-control of the Murshou Hospital and the Al-Hasakah Firehouse near the Al-‘Aziziyah District after they stormed the facility and arrested members of the National Defense Forces (NDF) – the reason for the apprehension of the NDF fighters has not been determined nor has the purpose for their abrupt assault.

The tension between the NDF and YPG at the southern outskirts of the Al-‘Aziziyah District appears to have calmed down; however, despite claims of a ceasefire, Al-Masdar News’ NDF source in Al-Hasakah has denied any agreement.

On Wednesday morning, the Syrian Government’s Minister of Defense, Fahd Jasseem Al-Freijj, arrived in Al-Hasakah City to inspect the Syrian Arab Army’s frontline defenses and to meet with General Mohammad Khadour of the SAA’s 17th Reserve Division (commander of operations in the provincial capital).