Advances underline U.S.-Russia alliance
Syria’s Kurds serve as superpowers’ link in bid to defeat ISIS
BEIRUT — A two-pronged advance to capture key urban strongholds of the Islamic State group and its self-styled capital of Raqqa has underlined a quiet convergence of strategy between the U.S. and Russia to defeat the extremists, with Syria’s Kurds emerging as the common link.
The dual advance toward Raqqa by the Syrian army from the southwest and the predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces from the north and west puts pressure on the militants as they fend off simultaneous attacks on bastions such as Fallujah, and potentially Mosul, in neighboring Iraq.
Common denominator
The Kurdish involvement is proving vital to the interests of Washington and Moscow.
For the U.S., the predominantly Kurdish SDF has proved the most capable actor in northern Syria in defeating the extremist group, a point it made when its predecessor, the Kurdish YPG, held off the militants in Kobani, in 2015. That battle was seen by many as a turning point in the war on the Islamic State group.
For Russia, the SDF advance has drawn ISIS fighters away from the front with the Syrian government and allowed the Kremlin’s allies in Damascus to advance, showing that Moscow is participating in the battle against the ISIS group.
Media outlets have focused on the battles between Iraqi government forces and ISIS militants in Fallujah, but west of Baghdad, the Syrian army on Saturday reached Raqqa province for the first time in almost two years. The Syrian government has had no presence in Raqqa since August 2014, when ISIS overran the Tabqa air base and killed scores of government soldiers. The provincial capital, Raqqa, became the militants’ first captive city.
Backed by intense Russian airstrikes, Syrian troops began their advance toward the province Wednesday, the same day U.S.backed SDF forces launched an attack on the ISIS stronghold of Manbij, which is 72 miles to the northwest of Raqqa and lies on a key supply route linking Raqqa with the Turkish border.
“In terms of direct coordination of activities on the ground, that is not happening,” Pentagon media secretary Peter Cook said. “I know there have been discussions about changing that, but at this point, our position is the same.”
Asked about it Monday, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, “We exchange information with the United States on a daily basis, twice a day, that’s all I can say.”
U.S. officials have consistently said there are frequent conversations about flight safety issues and daily phone line checks to make sure the two nations can communicate quickly.
Lina Khatib, head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Chatham House think tank, said it was hard to imagine such dual attacks on ISIS happening without prior agreement between the U.S. and Russia.
“The Syria Democratic Forces is playing a complementary role to the (Syrian) army, and that is the product of a military agreement between Russia and the U.S. that is translating into a division of labor between the two forces on the ground,” Khatib said.
Raqqa in the cross hairs
Raqqa is frequently targeted by the U.S.-led coalition, as well as the Syrian and Russian air forces. The battle for Raqqa is expected to be long and hard, with Syrian troops about 45 miles away.
A Raqqa resident who fled it recently said the militants have dug trenches and planted mines around the city in anticipation of an attack. The resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of his safety, said the militants were prepared for what they perceive to be a “decisive battle,” whether with the SDF or army troops.