This is very interesting. It's an ironic reversal of roles: a couple of years ago in Kobane, it was the YPG accusing the Turks of giving free passage to ISIS fighters...
But the idea that the regime `only became interested in taking on Daesh' because of the contest for Deir Ezzour is way overstated. What about the contest for Palmyra? It was seized by ISIS in May 2015; retaken by Assad/Russia in May 2016 (after which a Russian orchestra played there); briefly recaptured again by ISIS, & then by the regime. That was 2 years of straight fighting between ISIS & Assad+Russia -- no US/SDF involvement.
This is very interesting. It's an ironic reversal of roles: a couple of years ago in Kobane, it was the YPG accusing the Turks of giving free passage to ISIS fighters...
But the idea that the regime `only became interested in taking on Daesh' because of the contest for Deir Ezzour is way overstated. What about the contest for Palmyra? It was seized by ISIS in May 2015; retaken by Assad/Russia in May 2016 (after which a Russian orchestra played there); briefly recaptured again by ISIS, & then by the regime. That was 2 years of straight fighting between ISIS & Assad+Russia -- no US/SDF involvement.