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Civilians in rural Deir Ezzor, mainly the northern countryside, are living in a state of fear after recent SDF advances against ISIS in rural Markada, south Shaddadi, which is only a few kilometers far from the province of Deir Ezzor. They are extremely concerned that the SDF (which is completely dominated by Kurdish YPG and YPJ that have displaced thousands of Arab civilians in Hasakah province and razed their homes to the ground) might carry on its advances against ISIS by attacking its held areas in Deir Ezzor province.
SDF have not shown any intentions or their willingness to attack ISIS-held areas in Deir Ezzor so far. However, the recent big gains they made against ISIS has led to the exposure of the shaky, fragile and exhausted military capabilities of the group, which might pushes SDF to gear up for new offensives against ISIS-held territories in the province of Deir Ezzor.
Both ISIS and SDF suffered heavy casualties during the recent U.S.-backed offensive to liberate Shaddadi. More than 120 ISIS members were killed and most of them were targeted by Coalition air strikes in support of SDF.
It should be pointed out that around 30.000 civilians have arrived in Deir Ezzor after fleeing from Shadadi town and villages adjacent to Mount Abdel Aziz due to ongoing clashes in those areas, and because of the YPG ethnic cleansing campaigns, that the militia has been conducting against Arab civilians in Hasakah province, Tel Abyad and Ayn al Arab for more than a year now.