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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Syrian rebels continue attacks in Raqqa |
| 2017-08-16 |
| [ARA News] The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday made new gains in the fight for Raqqa city. After heavy clashes with ISIS extremists, the US-backed SDF troops seized control of two more districts in Raqqa–the ISIS’ de facto capital in Syria. “Our forces liberated the districts of al-Mahdi and al-Rafqah in eastern Raqqa,” SDF officer Habun Osman told ARA News. The Kurdish officer added that a team of experts started to clear the liberated areas by dismantling explosives and mines left by ISIS militants. “At least 35 ISIS terrorists were killed in the clashes on Sunday,” Osman reported. Local sources confirmed to ARA News that the Syrian Democratic Forces now control more than 60% of the key city of Raqqa. The United States’ anti-ISIS coalition envoy Brett McGurk has confirmed that a total of 2,000 ISIS fighters are left in Raqqa, adding that these jihadists will die in Raqqa, where the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces continue their military operations against the radical group. More than 80 percent of the ISIS attacks against the SDF have been accomplished by using hidden IEDs, according to officials. “Fighting in Raqqa continues to be intense, as fanatical ISIS dead-enders and foreign terrorist fighters left to die use the dense urban environment to try to cling to territory,” said Colonel Ryan Dillon, a coalition spokesperson. |
| Posted by:badanov |