Raqqa:
Kurdish-led forces have massed thousands of fighters as part of a military
offensive to take over Raqqa, the northern Syrian city controlled by the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group for more
than two and a half years.
The
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed coalition of armed groups led by
the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), said it has mobilised thousands of
fighters in the countryside north of Raqqa.
Fighting
was reportedly ongoing on Tuesday near Ain Issa, situated 55km from the
ISIL-controlled city.
SDF
released a statement declaring its goal of “liberating” Raqqa from ISIL, which
has ruled the town with an iron fist, committing atrocities against the
civilian population.
The
US-led coalition against ISIL was supporting the offensive, spokesman Steve
Warren said.
“We
have always been focused on evicting ISIS from Raqqa and we will continue to
support the SDF as they conduct ground operations to further isolate the city,”
the colonel said. “The US-led coalition will continue to provide air support for
SDF operations against ISIS,” he added.
The
coalition, as well as Syrian government forces and their ally, Russia, have
launched air strikes on Raqqa since it was captured by ISIL during its advance
through Syria and Iraq in 2014.
Syria’s
conflict started with mostly unarmed demonstrations against President Bashar
al-Assad in March 2011. It has since evolved into a full-on civil war that has
killed at least 270,000 people, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights. Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations special envoy to
Syria, estimated last month that the actual death toll could be as high as
400,000 people.
No comments:
Post a Comment