Posted by James the Russian Analyst


![Untitled.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVG5yTGobDoTvaoia5e5Au84SsBDP9egfTvmkGoBxfRte/Untitled.jpg)


Two major developments have occurred in the Syrian war since the Israeli air strikes of mid-March too close to the T4 airbase northeast of Palmyra, where Russian personnel have been active for Moscow to tolerate.

U.S./SDF Forces Continue to Advance Up the Euphrates Valley Closer to Raqqa 

One, combined U.S. Special Forces/SDF units have crossed the Euphrates in a surprise attack relying on American helicopters and boats to ferry Kurdish fighters across the river into Daesh territory. The Taqba dam on the Euphrates is now fully secured and the success of the SDF/JSOC offensive has aided the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) further west in securing the town of Daer Hafer, after driving the Daesh terrorists away from a key water supply point on the Euphrates for Aleppo. The Taqba Air Base which fell into ISIS hands back in 2013 when the Islamic State was fighting alongside so called moderate Free Syrian Army rebels, is now in the hands of Kurdish units.  This could give American Apache gunships and Blackhawk transport helicopters another field from which to operate in the Raqqa offensive. After heavy losses and defeats over the last several weeks at Palmyra and Mosul, Daesh appears to be in disarray and retreat on all fronts. Compounding the Daeshbags’ problems, they are now faced on the Raqqa front with heavy U.S. firepower from long range howitzers and HIMARS systems deployed by the U.S. Marines to strike mobile targets such as Toyota technical, VBIEDs or infantry concentrations.

Read more --------------> http://www.roguemoney.net/2017/03/28/battle-of-syraq-sitrep-14-jihadi-counteroffensive-at-hama/