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| US-backed force enters Syria’s Isis-held Raqqa from south, says monitor | US-backed force enters Syria’s Isis-held Raqqa from south, says monitor |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| US-backed fighters pierced jihadist-held Raqqa from the south for the first time on Sunday, crossing the Euphrates River to enter a new part of the Syrian city, a monitor said. | US-backed fighters pierced jihadist-held Raqqa from the south for the first time on Sunday, crossing the Euphrates River to enter a new part of the Syrian city, a monitor said. |
| The Syrian Democratic Forces have spent months closing in on the Islamic State group’s bastion Raqqa and entered the city’s east and west for the first time last month. | The Syrian Democratic Forces have spent months closing in on the Islamic State group’s bastion Raqqa and entered the city’s east and west for the first time last month. |
| On Thursday, the US-backed Arab-Kurd alliance sealed off the jihadists’ last escape route by capturing territory on the southern bank of the Euphrates. | On Thursday, the US-backed Arab-Kurd alliance sealed off the jihadists’ last escape route by capturing territory on the southern bank of the Euphrates. |
| “Today, they entered Raqqa’s south for the first time and seized the Al-Hal market,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Sunday. | “Today, they entered Raqqa’s south for the first time and seized the Al-Hal market,” Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Sunday. |
| He said some SDF fighters had advanced north across the Euphrates River, while others had attacked Al-Hal from the adjacent district of Al-Meshleb in Raqqa’s east. | He said some SDF fighters had advanced north across the Euphrates River, while others had attacked Al-Hal from the adjacent district of Al-Meshleb in Raqqa’s east. |
| “The market is fully under SDF control but IS is waging a counter-attack,” Abdel Rahman said. | “The market is fully under SDF control but IS is waging a counter-attack,” Abdel Rahman said. |
| The SDF’s Operation Wrath of the Euphrates announced it had captured the Al-Hal market on Sunday. | The SDF’s Operation Wrath of the Euphrates announced it had captured the Al-Hal market on Sunday. |
| Abdel Rahman also said 11 civilians, including four women and five children, were killed in coalition air strikes on the western Raqqa district of Al-Daraiya late on Sunday. | Abdel Rahman also said 11 civilians, including four women and five children, were killed in coalition air strikes on the western Raqqa district of Al-Daraiya late on Sunday. |
| The new deaths put at more than 200 the civilian toll from coalition raids on Raqqa since the US-backed SDF entered the city on 6 June. | The new deaths put at more than 200 the civilian toll from coalition raids on Raqqa since the US-backed SDF entered the city on 6 June. |
| The Observatory said “dozens” of SDF fighters had been killed in Raqqa in the same period, “including 36 in the past week”. | The Observatory said “dozens” of SDF fighters had been killed in Raqqa in the same period, “including 36 in the past week”. |
| The SDF has since seized a handful of neighbourhoods in the east and west but are facing fierce resistance by Isis as they push closer to the city centre. | The SDF has since seized a handful of neighbourhoods in the east and west but are facing fierce resistance by Isis as they push closer to the city centre. |
| SDF fighters were battling Isis on Sunday inside the eastern district of Al-Senaa, which the jihadists retook after an initial advance by the US-backed forces last month. | SDF fighters were battling Isis on Sunday inside the eastern district of Al-Senaa, which the jihadists retook after an initial advance by the US-backed forces last month. |
| Al-Senaa is key for both the SDF and Isis because it is adjacent to the city centre, where most Isis fighters defending Raqqa are thought to be holed up. | Al-Senaa is key for both the SDF and Isis because it is adjacent to the city centre, where most Isis fighters defending Raqqa are thought to be holed up. |
| Isis pushed the SDF out of Al-Senaa on Friday, using dozens of jihadists disguised in SDF uniforms as well as a slew of car bombs. | Isis pushed the SDF out of Al-Senaa on Friday, using dozens of jihadists disguised in SDF uniforms as well as a slew of car bombs. |
| After two days of a counter-offensive, the SDF had retaken about 70% of it by Sunday, the Observatory said. | After two days of a counter-offensive, the SDF had retaken about 70% of it by Sunday, the Observatory said. |
| “Our forces are about 100 metres from Baghdad Gate,” said Syrian Elite Forces spokesman Mohammad Khaled Shaker, referring to the entrance to Raqqa’s Old City. | “Our forces are about 100 metres from Baghdad Gate,” said Syrian Elite Forces spokesman Mohammad Khaled Shaker, referring to the entrance to Raqqa’s Old City. |
| “We are combing the area and destroying tunnels to prevent any new infiltrations towards our positions,” Shaker said. | “We are combing the area and destroying tunnels to prevent any new infiltrations towards our positions,” Shaker said. |
| According to the coalition, an estimated 2,500 Isis jihadists are defending the northern city. | According to the coalition, an estimated 2,500 Isis jihadists are defending the northern city. |
| Isis overran Raqqa in 2014, transforming it into the de facto Syrian capital of its self-declared “caliphate,” which it declared three years ago. | Isis overran Raqqa in 2014, transforming it into the de facto Syrian capital of its self-declared “caliphate,” which it declared three years ago. |
| The city became infamous as the scene of some of the group’s worst atrocities, including public beheadings, and is thought to have been a hub for planning attacks overseas. | The city became infamous as the scene of some of the group’s worst atrocities, including public beheadings, and is thought to have been a hub for planning attacks overseas. |
| The United Nations has expressed concern for up to 100,000 civilians it says are still trapped in the city. | The United Nations has expressed concern for up to 100,000 civilians it says are still trapped in the city. |