Updated: please scroll down Jerusalem PostToday. Because ISIS has massed in a “sports stadium” to either fight like a gladiator to their death or .... be massacred. Seriously, that’s what’s being reported. ISIS is massing in a sports stadium- massing there to resist or die.You need to imagine me rolling my eyes at this claim. What I think is much more likely! "ISIS"(PKK/YPG/Assorted special ops and a veneer of Arabs) is converging in one convenient location where they will be loaded up covertly and transported to Deir ez Zor. To fight SAA and allies. After all a stadium is convenient location for an irregular army to converge for ease of transport. This move can easily be obscured by darkness. The presence of other troops. Distracting/frightening gunfire sure to keep the curious away. What a great way to hide from civilians and other prying eyes while covertly moving fighters from one place (Raqqa) to another (Deir ez Zor)Hopefully there will be some eyes in the skies watching... Amassing in a stadium to fight to the death is simply bizarre
“The assault on militants in the center of the northern city will focus on surrounding the sports stadium there, said a field commander in the Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF) in western Raqqa, who gave his name as Ardal Raqqa. (PKK/YPG)"Daesh is massing there because this is the last stage. They will resist, or they will surrender or die," he said. "This their last stand to the death."
Reuters. Com and Reuters UK are reporting the same stadium location news as the final assault on ISIS
The assault on militants in the center of the northern city will focus on surrounding the sports stadium there, said a field commander in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in western Raqqa, who gave his name as Ardal Raqqa.“Daesh is massing there because this is the last stage. They will resist, or they will surrender or die,” he said. “This their last stand to the death.”
"Last stand to the death"? Like Custer and his last stand? How very dramatic!Sorry, I'm not buying this rubbish. After the great ISIS "surrenders", the US and friends will load'em up, under cover of darkness and move them to a new fighting location. Which as I've suggested will be Deir ez Zor, where we've seen SAA make advances the US did not want them to make!
Friday: SAA Fights Way Into "ISIS Stronghold" Blow to US backed PKK/YPG/SDF
"Last week the US-led military coalition said its Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) allies would attempt to seize Mayadeen before the army"
SDF didn't seize Mayadeen
Saturday: Syria: Walkin' the Razor's Edge? US Shells SAA/Casualties
Widely ignored that the US bombed SAA and allies. I mentioned this could escalate- This sudden move on Raqqa might just be the impetus for that escalation in Deir ez Zor. UPDATE BEGINS: 3:17 EST- 10:17 PM SyriaISIS has managed to force SAA out of Mayadeen- Syrian and Russian Airforces are bombingLink : Islamic State expels Syrian forces from key bastion Mayadeen Town now target of intensive air strikes by both government and Russian aircraft
Islamic State (IS) group fighters succeeded on Sunday in expelling Syrian government forces from the eastern town of Mayadeen, days after they entered the key remaining militant stronghold, a monitor said.
Backed by Russian air power, Syrian forces had managed to fight their way into western Mayadeen on Friday.
As reported here on Friday: SAA Fights Way Into "ISIS Stronghold" Blow to US backed PKK/YPG/SDF
"Counter-offensives by IS managed to force the regime fighters away from the western outskirts of Mayadeen," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Syrian forces were now 6km from the town, which was being targeted by "intensive air strikes carried out by both regime and Russian aircraft".