Syrian forces in reclaimed Raqqa prepare for civilian handover
RAqqA: US-backed forces who captured Raqqa from the Islamic State (IS) group prepared to hand the Syrian city over to a civilian authority, with some of their fighters already headed to the next battle.
Inside the city, positions that had long been manned by fighters of the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were abandoned, though some remained in the central Al-Naim square, dancing as they celebrated their victory.
The SDF battled for more than four months, with US-led coalition support, to capture the city that was once the de facto Syrian capital of IS’ self-styled “caliphate”.
They announced the end of combat on Tuesday, though operations to clear explosives and seek out sleeper cells were ongoing.
Raqqa’s capture leaves the militants with little remaining territory in Syria, most of it in neighbouring Deir Ezzor province, where some SDF fighters were already headed to carry on the campaign.
“Some of the forces withdrew, others will remain in the city until we finish the minor combing operations. Then, the city will be handed over to the civil council,” said SDF commander Rojda Felat.
“After the end of military operations, a large part of the forces have moved out of Raqqa to other areas, including Deir Ezzor,” added Mustefa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, the SDF’s main component.
At least 16 civilians, including several children, were killed in airstrikes in Deir Ezzor on Thursday believed to have been carried out by Russian jets, a monitor said.
“The civilians were killed as they tried to cross the Euphrates river near the town of Abu Kamal,” the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Abu Kamal is one of the last urban strongholds of IS in Syria.
SDF spokesman Talal Sello said two days of mopping-up operations in Raqqa had not uncovered more IS fighters, but interrogations of those who were captured or surrendered during the battle were ongoing. — AFP