This Lethal Force is Literally Dancing to Victory Over ISIS

The Syrian Democratic Forces have been quickly advancing in the final stage of their operation to rout ISIS from their declared caliphate capital Raqqa, and have been fighting the terrorists with a song and dance every step of the way.

The 50,000-strong multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian coalition of Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Turkmen, Circassians, Yazidis and other ethnic minorities, both male and female fighters, took nearly 28 square miles from ISIS in and around Raqqa last week.

ISIS control of Raqqa (gray). June 6th versus July 6th. #Raqqa pic.twitter.com/ppRfhNkfMx

— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) July 7, 2017

U.S. commanders have often noted the high morale and discipline of the SDF, who launched their Raqqa offensive in November. “You could tell they have a good [command] climate, that commanders are engaged and they are a disciplined force,” said Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell, senior advisor to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford, in April. “Talking to some of our special operators, in their opinion, [the SDF] was some of the best partnered forces they have ever been with.”

The SDF, who have yet to lose a battle to ISIS, also like to dance — a lot.

Here, you can see one soldier aiming his gun around the corner of the building while his comrades dance.

Before each departure to the frontline, SDF fighters dance the Halay which is more than a ritual, it’s part of them
ANF#Raqqa #SDF pic.twitter.com/wmanvpUsjM

— CLAUDIA (@ClaudiaAlMina) July 9, 2017

Here, Christian SDF fighters teach an American volunteer the steps.

Amid war, fighting and battle in Raqqa, a moment of joy, happiness of #MFS fighters with traditional danse, including our American fighter:) pic.twitter.com/TtESKaAnWC

— SyriacMilitaryMFS (@SyriacMFS) July 9, 2017

They dance before and after battles, and while preparing for them. Here, the opening of a training center back in May.

Though sometimes all you need is song, with an Igloo cooler acting as the drum (though these soldiers eventually dance, of course).

These SDF fighters dance and smoke, a double ISIS no-no, while greeting newly liberated Raqqa civilians (and sharing their cigarettes).

SDF Shams al-Shamal fighters welcome #Raqqa civilians w music & dance @ their checkpoint & bring a smile to childrens faces. pic.twitter.com/LGNvApC743

— Rojava (@AzadiRojava) June 21, 2017

They dance other places than Raqqa…

#SDF | Kurdish Front fighters dance in northern #Aleppo pic.twitter.com/5tu9ALoh4Y

— Syria Today (@todayinsyria) May 29, 2017

… including when they won the hard-fought battle against ISIS for Tabqa, a city west of Raqqa along the Euphrates and home to a critical dam that survived the fierce warfare.

Victory Dance of the SDF Fighters after the Liberation of Tabqa pic.twitter.com/SyMJV38k7B

— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) May 15, 2017

The locals are, of course, welcome to join in.

#WrathOfEuphrates #Raqqa .

The victory dance of freedom fighters and #Tabqa ‘s children after liberation.#SDF #YPG #YPJ #TwitterKurds
. pic.twitter.com/w4qnxaiUcR

— Country of Kurds (@DefenceUnits) May 11, 2017