The Gold Coast Bulletin

JIHADIS LOSE SYRIA STRONGHOLD

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US-BACKED forces took full control of Raqa from the Islamic State group yesterday, defeating the last jihadist holdouts in the de facto Syrian capital of their now-shattered “caliphate”.

The victory caps a battle of more than four months, hammering another nail in the coffin of the jihadist group’s experiment in statehood, which has collapsed in the face of offensives in Syria and Iraq.

Inside Raqa, overjoyed fighters from the KurdishAra­b Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) celebrated and raised their yellow flag in the city’s Al-Naim traffic circle, known as “Hell Roundabout”.

Raqa had become a byword for atrocities carried out by the jihadists and it was from the city that IS organised overseas attacks such as the Paris massacres in 2015.

“Hell Roundabout is now Al-Naim Roundabout again,” the fighters in Raqa cheered, surrounded by crushed buildings and charred cars damaged in the fierce battle for the city.

 ?? Picture: AFP ?? Commander Rojda Felat waves the SDF flag at Al-Naim square in Raqa.
Picture: AFP Commander Rojda Felat waves the SDF flag at Al-Naim square in Raqa.

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