Syria Democratic Forces escalate attacks to expel Daesh from Syria’s Hajin

The Syria Democratic Forces said that the escalated military offensive to expel Daesh extremist group’s elements from the Hajin pocket, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River close to the Iraqi border, is a continuous operation on many fronts.

Laila al Abdullah, an official spokeswoman for the Deir al-Zour military council of SDF told Al Arabiya English that: “The military operations to expel Daesh from Hajin town are still continuing on three axes, up to the Iraqi border.”

She added: “Our forces have managed to liberate hundreds of civilians stranded in areas considered a stronghold of Daesh.”

The spokeswoman said that Daesh was using the civilians as human shields in the area, adding that the “clashes are at the highest levels and are still going on until the moment.”

She explained that Daesh elements are carrying surprise attacks against the SDF fighters who are retaliating back. In addition, the spokeswoman revealed that “SDF tightened its grip on the extremist group in three axes within the town of Hajin.”

According to the spokeswoman, the biggest obstacles faced by the SDF fighters, is the large number of mines planted by Daesh in areas they pulled out from, as well as the use of civilians as human shields after their detention.

She pointed out that: “The battle against Daesh requires more time to end its existence,” adding that “hundreds of its members are in SDF jails, including leaders of the organization of foreign nationalities and other local leaders.”

Last month, Syria’s Democratic Forces, resumed its offensive against Daesh in the region, 10 days after it was suspended after a Turkish bombing of Kurdish positions north of Syria.

Hundreds of fighters have been brought to the Hajin pocket close to the Iraqi border, as part of SDF effort to end the presence of terrorists, estimated at 2,000 by the US-led coalition.