U.S. Defense Secretary: International Coalition Prepares to Retake Raqqa in Syria

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter stated that the international coalition led by the United States is preparing to retake the city of Raqqa in Syria from the Islamic State group, and there will be no delays in this operation. He made these remarks on Tuesday, October 25, during a joint press conference with French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris, following a meeting with defense ministers from 11 countries about the progress of the campaign against ISIS. According to the Associated Press, European leaders, including France, have expressed concern that the battle to reclaim Raqqa—the self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State in Syria—has not yet begun. They are also worried that ISIS leaders may continue plotting and launching attacks in European capitals similar to last year's attacks in Paris and Brussels. The city of Mosul, where the operation to retake it by Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and the U.S.-led international coalition has entered its ninth day, is now considered another ISIS capital. Reuters reported that Carter indicated that operations in Raqqa and Mosul may occur simultaneously, suggesting that such a plan could happen soon. The U.S. Defense Secretary stated, 'We are currently laying the groundwork for isolating Raqqa from coalition members.' He added, 'Today we resolved that the issue of besieging and eliminating ISIS control over Raqqa will proceed with the same urgency and focus.' French President Francois Hollande warned that Islamic State fighters are fleeing from Mosul to Raqqa. He called for vigilance regarding the return of jihadists from the battlefield to their home countries. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the advance of a unit of Iraqi special forces towards Mosul has been halted. These forces are awaiting the arrival of other U.S.-backed troops. The first unit to advance to within two kilometers of Mosul is the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, which has been trained by the U.S. These forces have approached Mosul from the east, driving ISIS fighters out of areas that were predominantly Christian and are now deserted. The upcoming battle is expected to be much more difficult and brutal due to the presence of one and a half million residents in Mosul, and the United Nations has predicted that up to a million people from this city may be displaced.