In Syria's northeast, Kurdish forces and the army fought separate battles with the group around the city overnight. The YPG's Xelil said the Kurds were not fighting with Islamic State on Saturday. ...
Islamic State launched its offensive on government-held areas of Hasaka on Thursday and the United Nations says the violence is estimated to have displaced up to 120,000 people.
"We want to reassure people in the governorate...Hasaka is fine," Governor Mohammad Zaal al-Ali told state TV but also echoed a government call for people to come back and defend their homes alongside the army.
"All of the people of the governorate who want to, pick up arms to defend it," he added. He said the air force had been carrying out frequent bombardments against Islamic State.
With a common enemy, the Assad government and the Kurds are fighting on the same side for now.
But all is well in Hasaka. But if you want--no big deal, or anything--you can mosey on over to the city border with any weapons you might happen to have and see if our troops--who I mentioned are doing fine, right?--need any help. Not that they need it.
Well okay, then.
UPDATE: Syria says they have ejected ISIL from portions of Hasaka--although I was unaware the jihadis had achieve that:
The Syrian army said on Monday it had recaptured a major residential quarter in Hasaka from Islamic State insurgents who stormed the strategically located northeastern city last week and drove out thousands of civilians.
I just wonder how long Syria can hold their isolated outposts away from the core region of northwest Syria, where Assad is having problems holding that territory.
