Ash-Shaddadi is a key town for Daesh, which allows the group to transport forces to fight both Syrian army and SDF positions in Hasakah province, and transfer more forces to Deir ez-Zor, where the Syrian army battles Daesh with Russian support. It is also a major oil-producing area.
"Syrian Democratic Forces liberated 47 villages in southern al-Hasakah province and are nearing ash-Shadadi," the source said.
SDF & YPG commanders & fighters sitting in an office in #Shaddadi oilfields liberated from ISIS today via @Xaniaras pic.twitter.com/a3spGEcJlp
— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) February 19, 2016
The SDF has continued battling Syrian rebels, particularly al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham in western Syria. The Turkish military has attacked the SDF positions with artillery, particularly in the town of Afrin, the group's local capital.
