FSA faces ISIS guerrilla warfare, booby traps in al-Bab

Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters backed by ‎Turkey gained new areas in al-Bab, ISIS main stronghold in Aleppo ‎eastern countryside, in the last 24 hours. However, their progress ‎was delayed by tunnels and booby traps dug and planted by ISIS terrorists to ‎dismember the main streets of the city.‎

FSA fighters face ISIS guerrilla warfare in al-Bab - (photo: al-Bab Facebook page)

ISIS tunnels in heart of al-Bab - (photo: al-Bab Facebook page)

The FSA took control of blocks of buildings near the Industrial ‎Secondary School in the southern part of al-Bab. But they said ‎their progress was hampered by fierce resistance of ISIS terrorists ‎who are located on tops of buildings towards the city center.    ‎

‎"Today we’re dealing with an enemy that seems to be falling into the ‎population, taking advantage of his ability to meld into the ‎population,"one of the FSA commanders told Orient Net.‎

Some residents of al-Bab are stranded with sharp shortages of food ‎and water supplies as fierce fighting continues between the FSA and ‎ISIS terrorists for control of the strategic city. ‎

‎"Since the FSA took over many parts of the city, all the markets have ‎been shut. Everyone is trying to leave but we cannot step out of our ‎homes," one of the locals who conditioned anonymity told Orient ‎Net.‎

‎"We might get shot. This is how bad it is here," he added.‎

The FSA and the allied Turkish forces have pushed ISIS many many towns and cities in the north of Syria. However, they have slowly advanced across ‎al-Bab. Fierce ISIS counterattacks have killed and injured many ‎Turkish soldiers and FSA fighters since the Operation Euphrates ‎Shield was announced last year.‎

The last major offensive launched to push ISIS out of the city was ‎announced on ( February 7). 

Orient News correspondent Khalid Abo al-Majid is covering the ‎developments from the outskirts of the city. Reports are uploaded on ‎Orient News YouTube channel.   ‎