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Syrian rebels capture new areas in Raqqa as ISIS beats feet
[ARA News] Raqqa – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued to advance in Raqqa Governorate on Saturday, driving Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists out of five more villages.“The Syrian Democratic Forces initiated the attack by bombing ISIS’ headquarters in western Raqqa with heavy artillery and mortar fire. Five more villages were liberated today,” the SDF Media Office told ARA News. Military sources confirmed that the Kurdish-led SDF troops captured on Saturday the villages of Brosenjar al-Shamali, Brosenjar al-Janubi, Sahba, Ebu Jalat and Haji Sleman west of Raqqa. The SDF leadership stressed the key role of the US-led coalition’s air support in the battle for Raqqa. “More than 25 ISIS terrorists were killed in Saturday’s operation,” SDF officer Daner Berkhudan told ARA News. “Several ISIS vehicles were seen leaving the targeted villages after the militants suffered heavy losses under the SDF bombardment.” Saturday’s advance comes just a few days after the SDF expelled ISIS militants from ten other villages in western Raqqa last week– Bir Shallal, Um Salim, Safakher, Ajaj, Merwaniya, Krajah, Hamer Saghir, Hamer Kabir, Qerefdan and Draniya. The SDF have released several statements, inducing the jihadists in Raqqa to surrender. “To the jihadists of the so-called Islamic State, our fire will soon reach downtown Raqqa and by then you won’t be able to escape,” the SDF said in a hair-raising statement last Monday. “This is the final call: either surrender to the Syrian Democratic Forces or die.” The Syrian Democratic Forces announced the beginning of the second phase of the Euphrates Wrath Operation last week Saturday. While the first phase focused on securing both banks of the Balikh River, the second phase aims “at liberating the western countryside of Raqqa.” The long-term objective of Euphrates Wrath is the elimination of the Islamic State in its de facto capital, Raqqa city. The SDF and the US-led coalition have liberated 37 km2 so far as part of the second phase of the operation. During the first phase of Euphrates Wrath, SDF soldiers captured an area measuring approximately 560 km2. Posted by: badanov 2016-12-18 |
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