OFFENSIVE TO LIBERATE RAQQA BEGINS

BEIRUT Kurdish-led Syrian forces backed by the U.S. began an offensive Sunday to liberate the de facto ISIL capital of Raqqa, clashing with the jihadists north of the Syrian city and warning neighbouring Turkey not to interfere in the operation.

U.S. and British officials said they would provide air support for the offensive, which was announced at a news conference in Ein Issa, north of Raqqa, by a coalition of Kurds and Arabs, the Syria Democratic Forces. But it lacked details on how the group plans to oust the militants from the city, home to nearly 200,000 mostly Sunni Arabs and about 5,000 ISIL fighters.