ISIS faces mounting pressure upon its stronghold of Ar-Raqqa City and its access to the Syrian-Turkish Border via Aleppo Province. The Syrian Democratic Forces – a coalition consisting of the Syrian Kurdish YPG and allied opposition groups – have successfully isolated the key cross-border transit hub of Manbij in Eastern Aleppo Province in an operation that began on May 31. Meanwhile, pro-regime forces launched an offensive in Eastern Hama Province on June 2, advancing into Ar-Raqqa Province and threatening Ar-Raqqa City from the southwest. These overlapping pressures represent significant setbacks that have forced ISIS to reprioritize its campaign objectives throughout Northern Syria. ISIS withdrew from opposition frontlines in Northern Aleppo Province on June 8, abandoning an ongoing offensive to seize the opposition strongholds of Azaz and Mare’a in order to reinforce its core terrain.

This graphic marks the latest installment of our Syria SITREP Map made possible through a partnership between the Institute for the Study of War and Syria Direct.