BEIRUT // Backed by US air strikes, Kurdish-led Syrian fighters clashed on Monday with ISIL militants north of Raqqa as they pushed ahead in their offensive to retake the city used by the extremist group as its main stronghold since 2014.
Members of a coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters known as the Syria Democratic Forces have been on the offensive in the area since late on Saturday, aiming to initially isolate and encircle Raqqa.
The United States, France and Britain said they would provide air support for the offensive, which was announced on Sunday in Ain Issa, north of Raqqa.
But the announcement lacked details on how the SDF, dominated by Kurds, plans to oust the militants from the city, home to nearly 200,000 mostly Sunni Arabs and an estimated 5,000 ISIL fighters.
Raqqa is home to some of the group’s top leaders and the last major Syrian city under its control.
The US commander of coalition forces fighting ISIL said the operation to take Raqqa aims at eventually cutting off the extremists from Mosul, where Iraqi forces have entered the city’s eastern outskirts amid fierce resistance.
Lieutenant General Stephen J Townsend said the Arab element of the SDF is “indigenous to the area” and will help establish “regional support” for SDF operations. His comments appeared to be aimed at soothing concerns that Kurdish forces would take over Raqqa, a predominantly Arab city.
Unlike numerous successful military efforts to drive ISIL militants out of cities in Iraq, the Raqqa offensive faces several political obstacles.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday reiterated the country’s opposition to the use of Syrian Kurdish fighters in the battle against ISIL.
Turkey views the Syrian Kurdish militia, the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, and its political wing as terror organisations.
The fighting in northern Syria is taking place under the cover of air strikes by the US-led coalition that played an instrumental role in the past in battles between SDF and the extremists.
The US Central Command said coalition aircraft conducted 16 air strikes in northern Syria, mostly near the area of Ain Issa, north of Raqqa, where the fighting appeared to be concentrated. It said they engaged 12 ISIL tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, five vehicles and two vehicles rigged with explosives.
On Saturday, SDF fighter Cihan Ehmed said 30,000 fighters will take part in the offensive, dubbed “Euphrates Rage,” and that a joint operations command had been set up to coordinate various factions.
*Associated Press
