U.S. Backed Forces: 'Battle For The Islamic State's De-Facto Capital Of Raqqa Has Reached Its Final Stages'

Reuters: Raqqa campaign in final stages, SDF says

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Wednesday its campaign to capture Raqqa from Islamic State (IS) was in its final stages and its fighters had seized 80 percent of the city.

In its fight against a separate operation waged by the Syrian army and its allies, Islamic State has collapsed along the west bank of the Euphrates downstream of Raqqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday.

IS has lost swathes of territory in Syria this year, attacked from the north by the SDF and from the west by the Syrian army, which has pushed it back across the desert to its last strongholds in the Euphrates valley.

The SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, launched its offensive on the jihadist group in Raqqa city in June, backed by U.S.-led air strikes and special forces on the ground. The city had served as Islamic State’s de facto capital in Syria.

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WNU Editor: The collapse of ISIS is going faster than what many had predicted .... myself included.

More News On The Battle For The Syrian City Of Raqqa

Syria war: Assault on IS-held Raqqa in 'final stages' -- BBC
US-backed force says in 'final stages' of defeating IS in Raqa -- AFP
From the front line in Raqqa: Isis to lose Syrian 'capital' in days after 'surprise attack' by US-backed forces -- The Independent
Syria: Battle for IS Capital Reaches 'Final Stages' -- US News And World Report/AP
SDF: Battle for ISIL-held Raqqa city in 'final stages' -- Al Jazeera
SDF advance in northern Raqqa after surprise attack on ISIS -- RUDAW
Syrian civilians fleeing Raqqa are taking up arms to go back and fight Isis -- Independent
Inside the fight to retake Raqqa from ISIS -- VICE News