Posted on 09/20/2017 12:29:06 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
In a statement about the ongoing campaign to liberate Raqqa, SDF General Command announced that 80 percent of the city has been cleared of ISIS.
The General Command of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released a statement informing about the latest situation in the operation to liberate Raqqa, dubbed the ‘Great Battle’.
The statement by SDF General Command is as follows;
“During the past 5 days, our forces have targeted the fortresses formed by ISIS gangs north of Raqqa and launched an operation, which is a first on this front. ISIS gangs had estimated that they would be able to defend this front as it extends along a wide field with various structures, and houses basic locations such as the grain silos, mill and the 17th Brigade, a military headquarters.
ISIS has lines of defense in the mentioned region where they heavily planted explosives and mines. Apart from these, ISIS moved a large number of civilians to this region, thinking that our forces would not launch an offensive on this territory. Our operation started swiftly and achieved major results in a short while.
Our forces have managed to pass the Sugar Factory, ISIS bases north of the city and the mines laid by the gangs. During a fresh military maneuver, our forces liberated the 17th Brigade and the grain silos of Raqqa city, and secured the surroundings of the 17th Brigade. While ISIS gangs have lost control over this region and their remaining forces have dispersed, our forces continued their advance and chased up the fleeing gangs.
SDF fighters have liberated the Tishrin, Rimela and Rawda neighborhoods as well as the mill from ISIS. Several ISIS members were killed during clashes in this area. During the offensive that lasted 5 days, our forces and special units have rescued hundreds of civilians and transferred them to safe areas. Our fighters also seized some ammunition warehouses of the gangs.
With the liberation of the mentioned areas, our forces have taken 80% of the Raqqa city under their control, and are now running operations to clear the mines planted by the gangs in the battle zones. The gangs are using thousands of civilians as human shields and violating all the values of humanity.
As SDF General Command, we plan to realize a military legend in the liberation of Raqqa mobilising the northern front of Raqqa with minimum harm. We are nearing the end in the Operation Wrath of Euphrates, in which the biggest terror organization in Syria is getting defeated. We emphasise that we will be after the terrorist remnants until the end.”
There is still the issue of helping civilians escape and removing mines from liberated territory. But the past few weeks had been directed at the very stronghold of ISIS in the Old City and the new government office area to the West of it.
There are still ISIS left but some of the focus of the SDF is being directed toward Deir Ezzor.
Are 80% of them DEAD, or just moved elsewhere? I’m hoping for DEAD.
And hurry up with that other 20%, would ya? You’re on my dime! ;)
I hear reports, unconfirmed, that there are only dozens of them left. I hope it is that low.
Last month the number of ISIS killed was 1244.
It is about over.
Cool. Whatever happened to setting up safe zones in Syria? When are we sending the Syrian Rapefugees back that Trump promised?
*APPLAUSE* :)
https://petervojtek.github.io/diy/2015/05/19/countries-with-democracy-in-name.html
List of nations with the term “democratic” in their name. They ate all totally despotic.and now comes, Syrian Democratic Forces. Lol
There have been no reports of rape in Syria other than from ISIS. Those animals will soon be extinct due to the Syrian Kurds and their SDF. The “refugees” will be going back to their villages. Many already have. And the towns liberated have functioning local governments. What other war have you every heard of that can say that?
You clearly have no background in what has been going on in Syria.
The original name for the SDF was the “Syrian Defense Force”. That is what they did.
The name only changed when the Arab elements were added. Largely in the beginning of that change, it was done to pacify Erdogan the Islamist.
Kill all ISIS.
“Are 80% of them DEAD, or just moved elsewhere?”
The policy of the US Coalition is now explicitly to kill them, so they can’t return home to other countries, and make more trouble.
The President, Secretary of Defense, and the US Commanding General for the region have repeatedly and unequivocally stated that “annihilation” is the policy.
Looking at the large battles that have taken place in Mosul
and Raqqa, there are no bulging prisons full of captured ISIS. Practices have changed, to full encirclement before assaulting ISIS strongholds (before they would leave escape
routes, or even negotiate protected withdrawals).
Youtube had many videos of ISIS captives being executed in Mosul. No one cares. Those monsters have no one’s sympathy.
The name Syrian Democratic Forces was picked by Americans, to give what they thought would be the most politically palatable cover for a group which had pretty much been just Kurdish Marxists. The Turks have a hatred for Kurdish Marxists (PKK), having lost about 30,000 Turks in decades of terrorist/Guerilla War against them. So they needed a new identity, to exist alongside Turkey.
The idea was that it would now be an umbrella organization with Arabs and Christians and all sorts of diversity. Over time (as they have been winning), more diverse groups have joined up (there also is a US paycheck and support that comes with it). The same Kurdish groups command the SDF as before, but there are relatively a lot more Arabs and Christians - they are pretty effectively consolidating the groups in the area.
They are super effective at taking out ISIS. Not just better than the super lame “moderate rebels” we used to train and equip - these folks are excellent ISIS killers.
“Whatever happened to setting up safe zones in Syria?”
They have been established. They are mostly deconfliction areas to prevent firefights between the US Coalition, Turkey, and the Regime and its allies (Russia, Iran). Some are supporting large groups of internally displaced people, like camps around Ain Issa housing civilians from Raqqa.
None are set up to significantly receive refugees back from other countries, unless the Turks are doing that in the areas they occupy (Azaz, Jarabulus, or al Bab). The Turks have bulging refugee camps, and might want to ship some of them back across the border at some point - but they will probably keep them as pawns, as long as the Europeans keep paying the costs.
When circumstances permit the safe return, there will probably be no real need for big camps, rather than individual assistance.
“ISIS presence in Raqqa will soon be ended.”
The operation really has picked up speed in Raqqa.
Let’s hope that this is full collapse.
So. Much. Winning! :)
Yes. End it now. The end may be slower because of the mine cleanup operation. Hard to do when there is shooting. Kurds have done a very good job of that before, but Raqqa is large scale and dirty. Statement has been made there is hardly a building that is not boobytrapped.
Thanks Texas Fossil.
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