Syrian Democratic Forces Enter Southern Raqqa

The Syrian Democratic Forces, the militia supported by the US-led coalition in the battle against the Islamic State group, have managed to enter the city of Raqqa from the south. Raqqa is the most important urban area under ISIS control in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on July 2 that mainly Kurdish militants from the Syrian Democratic Forces crossed the Euphrates River and entered the southern part of Raqqa. Rami Abdulrahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, stated that this is the 'first time' that coalition-supported militants have reached southern Raqqa and have succeeded in taking control of the Al-Hal market. According to this war monitoring organization, several Syrian Democratic Forces militants from the north and some from the south had begun attacks on ISIS positions. In recent days, by closing the southern route of Raqqa, they were able to complete the siege of ISIS in this city. Kurdish and Arab militants engaged with ISIS announced on Sunday the 'reinforcement' and the joining of a thousand fresh troops to the fronts east and west of Raqqa. Direct operations to liberate Raqqa have been ongoing for nearly a month. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 200 civilians have lost their lives during this period due to coalition airstrikes. It is said that the liberation of Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq will deal a severe blow to the group known as the Islamic State. These two large and populous cities fell to the group during the extensive advances of ISIS in 2014. ISIS fighters still remain in other areas of Syria, and parts of the border regions under their control have recently come under the control of the Iraqi armed forces. Nevertheless, their four-year presence in Aleppo province has now ended, and a spokesman for the Iraqi joint military forces announced on Saturday that the recapture of Mosul will soon be officially declared.