Syria: New syrian coalition of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launches offensive against Islamic State (ISIL) in Hasakah province
A new coalition of armed opposition groups in northeastern Syria has launched an offensive against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in the province of Hasakah, as part of its strive to eradicate the group from the entire Syria.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which was formed in mid-October as an alliance among various ethnic factions, including Kurdish, Arab and Assyrian rebels, launched an attack against ISIL stronghold in Hasakah on Friday night.
“We declare the first step of our military action within a plan of liberating the whole Syria from the terrorist gangs,” the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR), quoted the group as saying in a statement.
Sherfan Darwish, the spokesman for the rebel group Burkan al-Furat - which is part of the SDF - told the AFP news agency that the coalition is targeting ISIL-held towns in Hasakah, including Shadadi and al-Hol.