![](https://www.longwarjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-11-at-2.31.15-PM.png)
Tabqah, Syria liberated from the Islamic State
The city of Tabqah and the surrounding area have fallen to US-backed forces. The Islamic State had controlled the city, the Tabqah dam, and a military airbase in the area since 2013-2014. The battle for Tabqah, which began with a surprise attack on Mar. 22, is a key part of the strategy to capture the self-declared caliphate’s capital of Raqqa.