Posted on 10/17/2017 7:15:59 AM PDT by mandaladon
BEIRUT — U.S.-backed forces in Syria claimed full control of the Islamic State’s onetime capital of Raqqa on Tuesday, heralding an end to the militants’ presence in their most symbolically important stronghold and bringing closer the likelihood of their complete territorial demise.
Talo Silo, a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, said that military operations have halted and that members of the joint Kurdish-Arab force are clearing the city of explosive devices and hunting for sleeping cells.
It was still unclear whether some Islamic State pockets remained, but the SDF portrayed the battle for Raqqa as effectively over.
Besieged and severely weakened, dozens of militants had launched a final stand from inside Raqqa’s main hospital and stadium. But hundreds of others surrendered during the final days of the battle after local officials brokered a controversial deal that could allow many to escape prosecution.
The offensive to recapture the city began in June, with the SDF advancing on foot as U.S.-led coalition airstrikes pummeled the militants. Much of the city now lies in ruins, its residents scattered throughout displacement camps across the country.
By the time the battle was over, Raqqa had lost all strategic significance to the group that had once used the city to showcase its prowess and its brutality. The fall of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in July and the loss of large areas of territory in eastern Syria to Syrian government forces leave the militants in control of just a few pockets of territory spanning the Iraqi-Syrian border.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Apparently not, as the WaComPost will only say “claims”. What? They can’t verify it? They print rumors and innuendo of President Trump with no verification...
Trump did this in 4 months!
The Free Syrian Army is not what it seems. They are a conglomerate of special forces from dozens of nations.
We, along with our gulf allies, have changed the way we fight wars. Technology and small, composite units are winning.
Considering the trained-chimp press thinks Hillary is the President, they probably would extend that credit to POTUS.
Hussein is deeply saddened.
They’ll give it to Obama......................
Meanwhile the MSM will be fixating on Trump taking away NBCs license...
Remember, when Obozo and his perfumed princes and princesses in the Pentagon were telling us it would take decades to eliminate Isis?
Of course the Russians are too busy establishing themselves, Hezbollah and Iran's military in the region, and setting up for the end times scenario. Maybe the reason the US is not mentioned in Bible prophecy is because we have been taken out by the socialist and communist agents, or a natural disaster?
Of course their are others who believe that the US and its allies are Ephraim in prophecy, and that Judah actually fills its bow with Ephraim to defeat its invaders.
Time will tell.
This was the last city of note that ISIS held. After this their remaining strongholds would naturally drop quicker - but it is starting to look like ISIS going to stop fighting to the death, and run for it. Relatively large numbers have begun to surrender.
Deir ez Zour is almost as big as Raqqa was (~200K before the war), but is already surrounded and partially liberated by the Russians/Syrians/Iranians. There is nothing much left after that would hold a population over 50,000 - basically Mayadin and abu Kamal, and then just a bunch or rural villages/hamlets.
ISIS has taken so many losses of fighters, and lost so many leaders at so many levels, that they should be coming apart. Virtually no replacements are coming for ISIS. Their oil revenues and taxes are gone, they cut off from Turkey for re-supply and running out of ammo.
Full collapse could come at any time, but over this Winter is most likely, even if the fight to the last.
Some rump will remain, as well as their brand name, to form some undercover terrorist/guerrilla group - but the Caliphate is in its death throes.
Trump did in eight months what obama failed to do in eight years:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/268119/isis-run-under-trump-joseph-klein
“Much of the city now lies in ruins”
I argued for B-52 strikes to level Raqqa over 2 years ago.
We finally got around to it, far too late in my opinion.
The enemy had a capital city. It should have been leveled from day 1.
I have spent the better part of the last two and a half years working in the UAE doing military aerospace work so I have been able to see the different approach to this fight from a little closer vantage point. Having served in the USAF during the Carter to Reagan transition, I can say the Obama to Trump transition was even more stark (if you can believe that was even possible). The difference in confidence from our Arab allies was palpable, where US leadership (or lack there of) makes all the difference in how much skin they will put in the game. President Trump deserves a lot of credit but don’t think we’ll read that in the NY Times of the Washington Post.
“Trump did in eight months what obama failed to do in eight years”
...or Trump destroyed in eight months, what it took Obama eight years to build - ISIS.
Great news. THAT caliphate is dead but we still have to contend with the growing one in Turkey.
“...or Trump destroyed in eight months, what it took Obama eight years to build - ISIS.”
that’s actually closer to the truth of the matter than my post ...
Thank you. I have been studying events in the middle east. Trump has unleashed the military. Instead of taking the lead, we are supporting the gulf nations clean up the mess. The Gulf Coopertive Council has created an army of special force units second to none. They have developed the best modern weaponry and tactics ever assembled.
People need to drop the gulf war paradigm. We are no longer using the weaponry and tactics of the 80s.
We will see peace in the middle east.
The Bible refers to people, not nations or geographic location. The US wouldn’t be mentioned, however, the people of Israel are.
The question then becomes if you are a child of Israel?
Israel was the name given to Jacob by God after he struggled with Him. Israel means “struggles with God”.
To follow Christ or the Holy God is a lifetime of struggle.
In my opinion Israel denotes people after God’s heart not a location.
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