Syrian militias make slight progress in attack on ISIS stronghold Raqqa
BEIRUT -- US-backed Syrian armed groups have captured a number of villages in the first days of an offensive to retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State militants, a war monitor and a Kurdish source said on Monday.
The ground forces are being supported by airstrikes mounted by a US-led coalition, the source said. But he predicted the battle to drive ISIS from their Raqqa, their main stronghold in Syria, would "not be easy".
The operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and some Arab groups, began on Saturday and aims to encircle and ultimately capture Raqqa. It should add to the pressure on IS as it faces a major assault on its Iraqi bastion of Mosul.
The attack, named "Euphrates Anger" so far appears focused on areas north of Raqqa, south of the town of Ain Issa, 50 km away.
