Fighting continues, but morale appears high, on the Rojava side anyway.
Partial clarification of the US presence in the Manbij/Kobanî. Sorta.
SDF saying that the Serrin base is consistent with the US withdrawal. Which makes one want to ask what that convoy headed west was all about? To convey the remaining troops back? That remains unclear.
The news has been seized upon by SDF types as good.
One thing is clear, and maybe it’s an issue of terminology that doesn’t come across when military types talk to journalists, but we had an ass load more “bases” over there than the media had initially reported.
TFSA Moving on Kobani
Reports that a few hours ago, TFSA began moving on Kobani.
Since we don’t know what the US is doing, this thread lays out the viewpoint from Assad’s SAA.
@leithfadel
I got a lot more details from the army regarding the battle for Kabani.
Regarding the lack of progress, they say it is due to a couple of reasons:
1) Last hills south of Kabani are in a wide open area. Syrian troops attempting to cross are quickly gunned down by machine guns
2) Heavy armory is useless in this area because of the terrain. Soldiers find themselves at the mercy of enemy gunfire and missile strikes when they approach the town.
3) HTS and TIP have a large force there and a complex network of tunnels and bunkers
4) Syrian Army says jihadist factions in northeast Latakia are the toughest forces they have come across. Many of the jihadist fighters have a wealth of experience in mountain warfare, especially the combatants from the Caucasus.
Rojava to Rock 