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On December 28, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that its fighters have reached the outskirts of the last ISIS stronghold on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, the town of Hajin. The SDF also reported that its fighters have killed 15 ISIS members and destroyed a vehicle and a motorcycle of the terrorist group around Hajin.
The SDF likely attacked Hajin town from its positions in the Omar oil fields, from the eastern direction, as its forces are still over 15km away from the northern direction.
Meanwhile, local sources reported that the SDF entered Hajin after minor clashes with some ISIS fighters and captured the areas of al-Munif, al-Khairin, al-Rayan school, al-Aiwuni, al-Shurgi, al-Shakhtiah and Hamid al-Raja inside and around it. The sources added that ISIS had withdrawn from most of the town before the start of the SDF attack.
According to these reports, ISIS may be abandoning Hajin. Local sources do not report any new airstrikes by the US-led coalition in the town. The upcoming hours will for sure reveal more about the current situation in the area.
