▁own ▁off ensive ▁against ▁I SI L , ▁and ▁by ▁ 2 ▁March , ▁had ▁captured ▁ 2 3 – 3 1 ▁villages , ▁with ▁their ▁ult imate ▁aim ▁being ▁to ▁take ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁road ▁linking ▁the ▁provincial ▁capital ▁of ▁Al - Has ak ah ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Q am ish li . ▁Another ▁report ▁put ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁captured ▁villages ▁at ▁ 3 3 . ▁ 1 3 ▁of ▁the ▁villages ▁were ▁seized ▁within ▁ 2 4 ▁hours ▁of ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁assault . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Kur d ish - A rab ▁al lied ▁forces ▁were ▁continu ing ▁to ▁fight ▁I SI L ▁outside ▁Tell ▁T amer . ▁ ▁By ▁ 3 ▁March , ▁ 2 4 ▁of ▁the ▁kid n apped ▁Christians ▁were ▁released ▁by ▁I SI L ▁after ▁r ans oms ▁were ▁paid . ▁ ▁On ▁ 4 ▁March , ▁Sy rian ▁government ▁forces ▁advanced ▁further ▁and ▁captured ▁several ▁villages , ▁while ▁I SI L ▁continued ▁shell ing ▁Kur d ish ▁f igh ters ▁near ▁Tell ▁T amer . ▁After ▁the ▁losses ▁suffered ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁days , ▁I SI L ▁forces ▁retre ated ▁towards ▁the ▁areas ▁of ▁al - H aw l ▁and ▁Sh add adi . ▁ ▁On ▁of ▁ 6 ▁March , ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁advanced ▁down ▁Highway ▁ 7 ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 5 – 2 0 ▁kilom eters ▁from ▁Tell ▁B rak ▁and ▁stopped . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁reported ▁that ▁fier ce ▁cl ash es ▁between ▁I SI L ▁and