Operation Featherweight: Month 43, Week 1, Day 2.

In the summer of 2014 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) were at their most powerful.

They controlled large swathes of both Iraq and Syria. They'd declared themselves to be an Islamist Caliphate. Their leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to be it's Caliph and the Syrian city of Raqqa to be its capital.

Now as we stand at the start of 2018 ISIL find themselves in a much more sorry state.

On November 3rd 2017 (3/11/17) the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) liberated the town of al-Qaim. This sits in the western Anbar Province just on the Iraqi side of the Iraq/Syria border. The last population centre held by ISIL in Iraq the liberation of al-Qaim allowed the Iraqis to declare that all of Iraq had been liberated from ISIL.

Iraq is made up of two main regions. The Arab region which makes up the bulk of the country and the Kurdish region in the north-east of the country. Both of these regions have their own governments and security forces. The ISF and the Peshmerga. With the Kurdish region supposed to be subservient to the main Iraqi both these governments and security forces have worked together to liberate the nation.

In October 2017 the then President of the Kurdish region Masoud Barzani unilaterally and completely illegal declared independence from Iraq. This included in areas outside of the Kurdish region that the Peshmerga had seized militarily during the fight against ISIL.

This triggered a crisis which saw the ISF turn their attentions to gently squeezing the Peshmerga from the captured areas and restoring Iraqi control. This has created something of a power vacuum in the areas where the Kurdish region and the Arab region meet. Particularly around the areas of Hawija and Tuz Khurmatu.

This security vacuum has allowed ISIL to continue to maintain a presence in that area. However they are unable to control any cities, town, villages or other centre. Instead they are limited to isolated camps in the mountains and other rural areas.

Within Syria ISIL continue to maintain a significant presence in the north-west of the country along the border between Hama and Homs Provinces.

ISIL are also allied with the Army of Khalid Ibrahim al-Walid/Jaish Khalid Ibn al-Walid group. They operate in the south-western Daraa Province along the basin of the Yarmouk River close to the Golan Heights United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) zone.

The main focus of the last six months or so has been on ousting ISIL from their Syrian heartland in the north-west of the country. This is centred around the basin of the Euphrates River including the city of Raqqa.

One of the main forces fighting ISIL in that area is the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF/QSD). This is a coalition of forces that was created in October 2015.

The largest element of the SDF coalition is the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). They operate alongside Assyrian/Syriac Christian, Turkmen and Arab Muslim forces. The Arab element which makes up around 50% of the SDF is comprised of both elements of the long defunct Free Syrian Army and local tribes indigenous to north-eastern Syria.

The SDF is supported by the US-led coalition; Combined Joint Task Force: Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTFOIR) both with air power and Special Operations Forces (SOF's). The SDF also contains a small International Brigade made up of foreign volunteers.

Although the SDF did not formally come into being until October 2015 the YPG have been operating alongside fragments of the FSA since the Battle of Kobane in the winter of 2014/15.

In July 2015 this unnamed combined force liberated the town Tel Abyad/Gire Spi from ISIL. Tel Abyad sits right on the border between Syria and Turkey around 45km (25 miles) east of the Euphrates.

In August 2015 this precursor to the SDF liberated the city of Hasakah from both ISIL and Syrian forces. Hasakah sits around 60km (35 miles) west of the Syria/Iraq border and around 75km (45 miles) south of Syria's border with Turkey.

The liberations of Tal Abyad and Hasakah put what became the SDF in control of a vast area of north-eastern Syria from the Euphrates to Syria's borders with Turkey and Iraq. For operational reasons this area which cuts across parts of several of Syria's provinces has been designated; "Shangri-La."

In November 2016 the SDF launched an operation codenamed; "Wrath of Euphrates." It's ultimate objective was to liberate the city of Raqqa from ISIL. However before it could do that it had to expand Shangri-La to Raqqa City.

In late November 2016 the SDF took up positions around 25km (15 miles) north of Raqqa having liberated around 600kmsq (360 milesq) of territory.

In early January 2017 the SDF took up positions at Lake Assad around 55km (30 miles) west of Raqqa. In the process the SDF liberated around 3,200kmsq (1.920 milesq) of territory along the eastern bank of the Euphrates from where the river enters Syria from Turkey.

In March 2017 the SDF took up positions at Karamah around 30km (20 miles) east of Raqqa. In the process the SDF liberated around 1000kmsq (600 milesq) of territory.

In early May the SDF liberated the town of Tabqa and took control of the Tabqa Dam. This sits on the southern banks of the Euphrates around 50km (30 miles) west of Raqqa. Tabqa Dam forms Lake Assad out of the Euphrates.

On June 6th 2017 (6/6/17) the SDF launched an operation to liberate the city of Raqqa itself. After 133 days of intense urban fighting Raqqa was fully liberated on October 19th 2017 (19/10/17).

While the operation to liberate Raqqa City was ongoing the SDF were also advancing south-east along the north bank of the Euphrates from Karamah.

On September 9th 2017 (9/9/17) the SDF launched a second operation along the Euphrates basin. This was codenamed; "Cizre Storm."

At the time Cizre Storm was launched the only area of Syria north-east of the Euphrates River which did not fall under SDF control as part of Shangri-La is a roughly 1500kmsq (860 milesq) area stretching across the Khobar River.

Roughly in the shape of a triangle this area had as its tip the point where the Euphrates River enters Iraq. It's base is an imaginary line stretching between the towns of Madan and al-Shadaddi.

Madan sits on the Euphrates River roughly 70km (40 miles) south-east of Raqqa and 110km (70 miles) north-west of Mayadin. Al-Shadaddi sits on the Khobar River roughly 150km (90 miles) east of Raqqa and roughly 130km (75 miles) north of Mayadin.

The objective of the Cizre Storm operation is to advance from the Madan-Shadaddi Line, across the Khobar River to where the Euphrates River enters Iraq. This will liberate the area from ISIL and properly establish Shangri-La with the Euphrates River as its southern boundary.

Although the technical aspects of the operation are more complex put simply it has two phases; To advance from the Madan-Shadaddi Line to the Khobar River. Then cross the river and advance to the Syria/Iraq border.

Within both of those phases there are two strands; Liberating the largely unpopulated areas of desert north of the Euphrates. Liberating the population centres that sit directly on the north bank of the Euphrates.

On September 26th 2017 (26/9/17) the SDF reached and liberated the town of as-Suwar. This sits on the western bank of the Khobar roughly 95km (60 miles) south-east of the Madan-Shadaddi Line.

On October 4th 2017 (4/10/17) the SDF reached the town of Markadah. This sits on the western bank of the Khobar roughly 30km (20 miles) south-east of the Madan-Shadaddi Line and around 30km (20 miles) north-east of as-Suwar. Markadah went on to be liberated on October 20th 2017 (20/10/17).

On October 10th 2017 (10/10/17) the SDF reached and liberated the town of Zuwaymiah. This sits on the western bank of the Khobar right where it meets the Euphrates. It is around 100km (60 miles) south-east of the Madan-Shadaddi Line and around 40km (25 miles) south-west of as-Suwar.

The liberation of Zuwaymiah meant that the SDF had reached the Khobar River at three points and the first phase of the Cizre Storm operation had been completed.

On October 14th 2017 (14/10/17) the SDF advanced from Karamah arrived at the outskirts of Deir-ez-Zour City. This linked the Cizre Storm and Wrath of Euphrates operations.

On October 20th 2017 (20/10/17) the Cizre Storm operation crossed the Khobar.

The desert strand made rapid progress liberating the Omar Oil & Gas Field on October 21st 2017 (21/10/17). Being some 160kmsq (95 milesq) in area the liberation of the Omar Oil & Gas Field put the SDF within just 40km (25 miles) from Syria's border with Iraq.

On November 25th 2017 (25/11/17) the desert strand reached the Syria/Iraq border roughly at the village of Mallah and its associated Salt Pan. This sits roughly 45km (25 miles) north-east of where the Euphrates River enters Iraq from Syria.

The task of liberating the urban areas along the north bank of the Euphrates is more complicated than liberating the unpopulated desert areas. Therefore this river strand has understandably made slower progress.

However because the SDF control the area to the north of those urban areas they have been able to advance south to the Euphrates. This has allowed them to cut the urban areas off from each other and liberate them in what to the untrained eye seems a haphazard way.

The immediate focus was on liberating the town of Busayrah. This sits almost on an island where the Euphrates and Khobar Rivers meet. Busayrah was liberated by the SDF on November 11th 2017 (11/11/17).

Having liberated Busayrah the SDF then advanced south-east towards the town of Diban. This sits around 20km (10 miles) south-east of Busayrah and was liberated on November 17th 2017 (17/11/17). En route from Busayrah to Diban the SDF also liberated Shuhyal and al-Gharbi which sit between the two.

The SDF advance then leapfrogged to liberate the town of Abu Hamman on December 1st 2017 (1/12/17). This sits around 25km (15 miles) south-east of Diban.

The SDF advance leapfrogged again to liberate the town of Hajin and the nearby village of Grennig on December 7th 2017 (7/12/17) and December 8th 2017 (8/12/17). Hajin sits around 45km (30 miles) south-east of Diban. It is actually closer to the Syria/Iraq border which sits 30km (20 miles) south-east of Hajin.

On December 2nd (2/12/17) the SDF launched an operation to liberate the towns of Darnaj, Suwaydan Jazirah, al-Jurdi al-Gharbi and al-Jurdi ash-Sharqi. These all sit in the area between Diban and Abu Hamman.

Suwaydah was reported liberated on December 12th 2017 (12/12/17). Al-Jurdi al-Gharbi was reported liberated the following day on December 13th 2017 (13/12/17). On December 17th (17/12/17) al-Jurdi ash-Sharqi was reported liberated.

The roughly 225kmsq (135milesq) area between Abu Hamman and Hajin is traditionally controlled by the Sheitat Tribe. That tribe has traditionally been loyal to the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. Following the liberation of Abu Hamman the SDF entered into negotiations with the Sheitat Tribe to enter the area to clear it of ISIL.

Those negotiations appear to have been successful. On December 15th 2017 (15/12/17) the SDF launched an operation to liberate areas within the Sheitat Tribal Area such as Marsama Gharbi, al-Khuskiyah and Garanij. Marsama Gharbi was reported liberated on December 30th 2017 (30/12/17).

On December 29th 2017 (29/12/17) the SDF reported the liberation of the villages of Jubb al-Bahrah, al-Qahawi, al-Jabal and Kashkiyan. These all sit around 5km (3 miles) north-west of Hajin. Jubba al-Bahrah sits directly south-east of the town of al-Bahrah which in turn borders the Sheitat Tribal Area to the south-east.

Amid all of the recent big battles such as for the cities of Raqqa and Mosul in Iraq ISIL have to some extent fled. They take their most precious resources such as their leader al-Baghdadi and move them to fallback positions. Amid the final stages of the Cizre Storm operation ISIL have now run out of fallback positions to flee too.

With ISIL being forced to make their last stand the fighting has intensified significantly. On a single day of fighting for Suwaydan on December 7th 2017 (7/12/17) the SDF killed 35 ISIL fighters. Across the course of the 10 day battle for the town 273 ISIL fighters were confirmed killed.

ISIL have also begun to widely adopt the tactics they used in Abu Kamal/Abu Bukamal against Syrian forces in early November 2017. That is they initially abandon the area in the face on an advancing enemy. They then re-group outside in order to launch a counter-attack alongside clandestine cells remaining in the area.

In the face of these tactics numerous locations have swung back-and-forth between ISIL and SDF control multiple times.

For example Abu Hardub a village adjacent to Abu Hamman was liberated on December 13th 2017 (13/12/17). It was then lost to ISIL before being liberated for a second time on December 25th 2017 (25/12/17). Likewise Hajin was liberated on December 7th 2017 (7/12/17) before being lost and liberated for a second time on December 28th (28/12/17).

Also ISIL have begun to rely more on insurgent tactics particularly targeting the local civilian population. On December 20th 2017 (20/12/17) ISIL fighters disguised as civilians infiltrated a newly liberated village near al-Gharbi. They murdered five people including the leader of the village before fleeing.

ISIL have also continued to use Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED's) against civilians. A December 17th 2017 (17/12/17) attack on the Tanak Oil & Gas Field wounded 20.

ISIL claim that a December 30th 2017 (30/12/17) VBIED attack on al-Bahra killed 20 and wounded 50. Curiously that attack was carried out by a German ISIL fighter who referred to the SDF as the Turkish Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). There is currently a degree of tension between Turkey and Germany over Germany's support for the SDF which Turkey claims is nothing more than an extension of the PKK.

The SDF do seem well placed to combat this shift in ISIL tactics. They have already formed a specialised elite Anti-Terrorism Unit (YAT).

On January 3rd 2018 (3/1/18) the YAT conducted an intelligence-led operation against a clandestine ISIL cell that had been plotting to attack against the Mabrouka camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP's) close to Hasakah City.

The raid which took place in the SDF controlled village of Karamah around 30km (20 miles) east of Raqqa City resulted in the deaths of all 14 members of the terror cell.

17:45 on 10/1/18 (UK date).