The US -backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced on Tuesday that they had themselves Families of the city of Raqqa From the Islamic State fighters.
“Everything has been completed in Raqqa, our full forces have taken control of Raqqa,” said SDF Talal Sello spokesman. AFP. Silo added that the official announcement will be announced after cleaning any remaining sleeper cells and removing landmines in the city.
This step is a great setback for the Islamic state, which was considered Raqqa, the effective capital of its self -declared caliphate. It comes in the third holiday From the global effort to defeat ISIS.
Raqqa was the first regional capital to fall from the government’s control of March 2013 After he was arrested by the rebel army. The army included both Syrian opposition groups and solid lines parties, including the Neshi and the Islamic State.
A civilian government was established in the city divided into two months later, and less than a year old, ISIS regained Raqqa and named the capital of their caliphate.
About 900 civilians have been killed since the beginning of the five -month operation, including 570 people in alliance air strikes, he said Syrian Network for Human Rights. It is based in Britain Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Civil death pressure in 1130 people. American journalist James Foley His head was beheaded in the mountains south of the city.
SDF fighters withdrew the black flag of the Islamic State from the National Hospital of the city near the city stadium, according to Reuters. a report.
The US Special Envoy of the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS Brett McGurk said in August that the United States will try to perform “stability” in Raqqa – including removal of rubble, and removing rubble from the main paths to allow trucks and equipment through, “basic electricity, water, water, and basic necessities to allow residents to return to their home.”
It is not clear when 300,000 civilians Those who fled Raqqa since April during the operation will be able to return.