Islamic State Launches New Offensive Against Kurds, Syrian Fighters

Islamic State fighters launched attacks against both the Syrian army and Kurdish fighters overnight, after they lost ground to Kurdish forces in Raqqa, the IS de-facto capital. In a separate attack, rebel groups attacked Syrian-held areas of Deraa in the south, one of the areas that fighters have pushed back forces belonging to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Kurdish troop had driven deep into Raqqa province the past two weeks, capturing important positions from Islamic State and leading to speculation that the Kurdish troops could launch an assault on Raqqa itself.