Syria's Raqqa cleared of IS militants

2017-10-13 08:18:16

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency ) Syria's northern city of Raqqa had been cleared of the Islamic State (IS) militants, Xinhua reported citing Alarabiya TV.

The few remaining IS militants in the city had been besieged by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who had been on a months-long offensive to defeat IS in its main stronghold in Syria, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition said the IS ouster from Raqqa is a matter of time.

IS militants declared Raqqa as their de facto capital in 2014, after announcing their self-styled caliphate.

The SDF and the United States, launched the offensive on Raqqa in June.

Tens of civilians have died during the intense battles as well as in the airstrikes of the U.S.-led coalition.

On Sept. 7, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said as many as 978 civilians had been killed within three months by the U.S.-led airstrike and the shelling on Raqqa.

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