A new counterattack by the “Islamic State” organization east of al-Raqqa

Al-Raqqa province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:: violent battles are still ongoing between the Syria Democratic Forces backed by the US Special Forces and the International Coalition’s warplanes against the “Islamic State” organization in areas in the northwestern outskirts of al-Raqqa city, where the clashes took place between them in the vicinity of the neighborhoods of al-Barid, al-Daria, and al-Rawda of al-Raqqa city, and preliminary information about human losses and injuries in the ranks of the “Islamic State” organization, where the clashes are accompanied with renewed aerial and missile bombardment on areas in the city of al-Raqqa, and there is information about more causalities and injured.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published that International Coalition warplanes carried out intense airstrikes yesterday night on Al-Raqqah city, during which they bombed  the Ferdus Furnace area and other areas in the city, which caused the death and injury of several persons in addition for substantial material damage at the targeted areas, the Syrian Observatory published yesterday night that it violent clashes are taking place between the Syria Democratic Forces and the US Special Forces on one hand, and the members of the “Islamic State” organization on the other, in areas in the vicinity of the neighborhood of Nazlat Shhada and the Old City, following counter attacks carried out by members of the organization, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the organization exploded a booby trapped vehicle in the vicinity of the neighborhood of Nazlat Shhada, in an attempt to advance and regain control of the positions and areas they lost previously, clashes also took place in the north-eastern section of Al-Raqqah City, the clashes accompanied by shelling by the International Coalition’s warplanes on the clash areas and areas controlled by the “Islamic State” organization, and information about casualties as a result of the shelling, as well as information about casualties in the ranks of both parties.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on Thursday the 10th of August 2017, that  it rose to 1610 people, the number of people killed and documented by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights snice the start of the grand battle of Al-Raqqah, they are 595 civilians at least including them an activist from the SOHR as well as 136 children, 84 women in al-Raqqa city, who were killed and documented by the SOHR in al-Raqqa city and its countryside since the launch of the Grand Battle of al-Raqqa on the 5th of June 2017 until today the 10th of August 2017. The casualties are 579 civilians including at least 133 children below the age of eighteen and 80 women over the age of eighteen, who were killed in al-Raqqa city, as well as 16 civilians including 3 children and 4 women who were killed in raids on Zor Shamar village and another area at the southern banks of the Euphrates River in al-Raqqa eastern countryside. The aerial bombardment also caused injury of hundreds of civilians with varying degrees of severity, while some of them have amputated limbs and permanent disabilities, and some of them still in serious conditions and the death toll are suggested to increase. Scores of houses, utilities were also destroyed in the city due to the indiscriminate bombardment that targeted al-Raqqa city and its vicinity and outskirts, while more civilian casualties were reported but the SOHR couldn’t document them.

The SOHR also documented that the international coalition airstrikes and the heavy bombardment on al-Raqqa city and its outskirts along with the military offensives in the city that included shelling,  bombings and clashes with the “Euphrates Wrath” Operations Forces, which is composed of the Syria Democratic Forces, the Syrian Elite Forces, and the US Special Forces backed by the International Coalition’s warplanes caused – since the launching of the battle until today the 10th of August – the death of at least 702 members of the “Islamic State” organization including two local  figures and commanders of groups, amid confirmed information about death of other members, in addition to injuring tens of them with varying degrees of severity.

Also, the SOHR documented in the same period the death of 313 fighters of the “Euphrates Wrath” including two fighters from the Syrian Elites Forces, 4 fighters holding US, Georgian and British nationalities, while the rest are from the Syria Democratic Forces, whose main pillar is the YPG, and fighters of Manbij Military Council, who were killed during clashes with the “Islamic State” organization and due to bombings in al-Raqqa city and the southern banks of Euphrates River.