‘Fight to death in Raqqa’

ISLAMIC State is down to its last 100 fighters in Raqqa as the cornered jihadis battle to the death, it was claimed last night.

British-backed rebels fighting there claimed yesterday to have finally liberated the Syrian city.

But last night, American sources in the area said pockets of IS resistance were refusing to quit. Raqqa was IS’s HQ for three years and it took four months of fierce fighting to retake.

Rebels yesterday flew their Kurdish YPG flag in Raqqa’s stadium – used by IS for its sick executions – to mark victory.

But coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon said: “We do still know there are IEDs and booby traps in and amongst the areas that IS once held.”