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On June 17, three fighters of the United States-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed and another was wounded when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle in the northern countryside of Raqqa.
The attack took place on the road between the the town of Ain Issa, a stronghold of the SDF, and teh nearby village of Tell al-Samn.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group, said that the deadly attack was carried out by ISIS cells in Raqqa. Nevertheless, the terrorist group is yet to confirm its responsibility via Amaq, its official news agency.
ISIS maintains a strong influence in Raqqa and its countryside. However, its cells there are not as active as others in the neighboring governorates of Deir Ezzor and al-Hasakah.
A few hours after the attack in Raqqa, suspected terrorists of ISIS opened fire at a checkpoint of the SDF in the area of al-Kw’a in the northern Deir Ezzor countryside. No casualties were reported there, however.
The SDF and the U.S.-led coalition stepped up operations against the terrorist group cells in Raqqa and other parts of northeastern Syria in the last few months. Dozens suspected operatives of the group were killed or detained. However, the security situation in the region appears to be getting worse.
The U.S. maintains some 900 troops at key oil and gas fields in Deir Ezzor and al-Hasakah as well as at a garrison in the southeastern area of al-Tanf under the pretext of fighting ISIS. Washington ended its presence in Raqqa more than four years ago to facilitate an attack by Turkey against the SDF.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported several attempts by the U.S. to re-enter Raqqa in the last few months. This may explain why ISIS is now suddenly increasing its attacks in the governorate.
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