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 ...
Lord willing and the Creek don’t rise!
Such a smile on the face of Rojda Felat. She is a great commander and a tough soldier and a great person. I’ve been following her actions since Kobane. Am so very happy for their great accomplishment. The Black Flag is DOWN in Raqqa, capital of their caliphate. Biji Kurds.
I have an article that is machine translated from Tukish that uses the exact photo in it.
All of Rakka was Feed
NEWS CENTER - SDF forces saved Rakka completely from Daesh. All of the city was under the control of the SDF forces.
As a result of the liberation of Rakka, which the Democratic Syrian Forces (SDF) has pursued in the name of "Great War", the city has been cleaned completely from Daesh today. Rakka was completely under the control of SDF forces.
Ednan Ebu Emced Hamlesi, who was started as the last stage of the move 2 days ago, had all of the Daesh members in the city surrendered to SDF forces while all the members of the Daesh who resisted were also killed and their assets in the city were put to an end.
SDF is expected to make an official statement that Rakka has been fully authorized.
15:43 17 October 2017
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