DAMASCUS — U.S. helicopters have transferred commanders of the IslamicState (IS) group from the eastern province of Deir al-Zour to areas in thenortheastern province of Hasakah, state news agency SANA said Friday.

U.S. helicopters coming from the northern countryside of Deir al-Zourlanded near the al-Basel Dam south of Hasakah, transporting leaders of theIS who surrendered to the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), saidSANA.

It’s not the first transfer of IS leaders, said SANA, adding that earlierthis month U.S. helicopters transferred 47 IS leaders to the same area inHasakah, many of whom had fled the areas due to the military operations ofthe Syrian army.

SANA said the injured IS leaders were medically treated by the DoctorsWithout Border organization.

The report renewed accusation that Washington is supporting IS in easternSyria.

The SDF, an alliance of Kurds, Arabs, and Assyrians, has controlled areasin the northern countryside of Deir al-Zour with the backing of the U.S.,following their capture of the northern city of Raqqa, the de facto capitalof IS.

The Syrian government refused to acknowledge the liberation of Raqqa,saying it’s still occupied by the U.S. and the Kurdish-led fighters.

In his recent comments, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said the SDFwas “the new Daesh,” using the Arabic acronym of IS.

He said the SDF should either return under the umbrella of the Syrian ArabRepublic, or they would meet similar destiny of IS.

His remarks reflected the dismay of the government with what is perceivedto be a separatist move by the Kurdish-led groups in northern Syria.

With the tension brewing between the Kurds and the Syrian government,despite the fact that both had a role in defeating IS, recent reportssuggested that the U.S. is about to throw a heavy support behind the SDF inweapons and military gears.