Assad regime says captured 4 villages from US-backed SDF in eastern Syria

The Assad regime forces have captured four villages east of the Euphrates River in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, Syria's state news agency said Sunday.

The villages captured near the provincial capital also called Deir el-Zour were held by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is dominated by the PKK terror group's Syrian affiliate the People's Protection Units (YPG).

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, six SDF fighters died in the clashes.

Crossings into the east bank of the Euphrates River in eastern Syria by the regime forces have been rare.

Much of Deir el-Zour province was held by the Daesh terrorist group but over the past year Assad regime forces captured most areas west of the Euphrates while SDF fighters took areas east of the river. The regime mainly focused on regaining territory from the opposition.

On Feb. 7, pro-regime fighters attacked SDF positions east of the river and faced a ferocious U.S. counterattack that left dozens, including Russians, dead.