Syrian Christians advance against IS in de-facto capital Raqqa

The battle for 'Islamic State' stronghold Raqqa has reached its final stages, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces, the US-backed multi-ethnic alliance fighting IS. Karlos Zurutuza reports from Raqqa.

At 22, Hannah has generously paid for his rank with a lost kidney, the scar that criss-crosses his chest and a bullet in the head which only grazed him.

That didn't happen in Raqqa though, but in his native town of Qamishli - 600 kilometers (370 miles) northeast of Damascus - back in 2015. The enemy, however, was the same.

Pre-war censuses in Syria placed the number of Syriac Christians at around 10 percent of a total population of 23 million. But what had been a safe haven for Eastern Christians fleeing neighboring countries - especially Iraq - turned into a lethal trap for non-Muslim minorities after 2011.

It was in 2012 when the Syriacs began to organize their own armed forces. The first one was Sutoro ("security" in Turoyo, the Syriac language) - a police unit that would eventually fracture between those loyal to Assad and those siding with the Syrian Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG).

Deutsche Welle is an old and respected news source. This writer is in Raqqa. He knows what has happened and the state of the battle. Reality.

It is an excellent article. Worth the read.

Good photo's and content at the link.

Thanks so much for your support to this point... I personally apprecaite it...
FReepers, what the hell? It's far beyond time to wrap up this FReep-a-thon. Lets do it...

President Donald J. Trump and the Free Republic of the United States of America
President Donald J. Trump's address to the United Nations on 09/19/2017.

Ramirez political cartoon: Football Referee Signals LARGE VERSION 09/20/2017: LINK LINK to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).
Garrison political cartoon: Irrelevence Park LARGE VERSION 09/19/2017: LINK LINK (scroll down) to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).

Please join the monthlies, an automated and the best way to help support Free Republic. If you opt not to join the automated monthly support program, please consider joining the One One Done project. LINK

FReepers, 93.50% of the Third Quarter FReep-a-thon goal has been met. Click above and pencil in your donation now. Please folks, lets end this FReepathon. Thank you!
...this is a general all-purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

Just $442.00 dollars and cents to 94.00%

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.