The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

More than 3200 civilians and fighters were killed in 4 months of the grand battle of Al-Raqqah city and declaration of control continue to be delayed due to the undergoing sweep

The Syria Democratic Forces supported by the US Special Forces continues to carry out the sweep operations in Al-Raqqah city, which was the former stronghold of the “Islamic State” organization, where the intensity of mines planted by the “Islamic State” organization hampers the Syria Democratic Forces from quickly ending the sweep operations, also the widespread destruction of more than 80% of Al-Raqqah city impedes the forces from reaching all the streets and places in the city, which led to the postponement of announcing the full control of the city until completing the sweep operations in the city, and controlling the narrow spot where members of the organization may still hiding in.

The airstrikes of the International Coalition continue to take place every now and then on the neighborhoods that still out of control of the Syria Democratic Forces, where –if exist– members of the “Islamic State” organization may infiltrate to, and the death toll in Al-Raqqah city has increased as a result of the constant shelling and clashes, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the death of more civilians in Al-Raqqah city, where it rose to 1117 citizens including an activist in the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 267 children and 194 citizen women, they were killed in Al-Raqqah city and its countryside since the 5th of June 2017 until the 6th of October 2017, and the casualties are 1101 citizens including 264 children at least under the age of eighteen and 190 citizen women over the age of eighteen, they were killed in Al-Raqqah city, in addition to 16 citizens including 3 children and 4 citizen women were killed by raids on Zor Shammar village and another area on the southern banks of the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Al-Raqqah, the air strikes also resulted in the injury of hundreds of citizens with varying degrees of severity, some of them have amputated limbs and permanent disabilities, while some of the injuries are still in serious cases, which may lead to the increase of the number of casualties, while dozens of houses and service facilities were destroyed in the city, as a result of this intensive bombing, which targeted Al-Raqqah city and its vicinity and outskirts.

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 6th of September 2017 until today the 6th of October 2017 the death of at least 1331 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 608 fighters of the “Euphrates Wrath” including 2 fighters from the Syrian Elites Forces, a Syriac Security Force fighter, 5 fighters of American, Georgian, British and Turkish nationalities, while the rest of them are from the Syria Democratic Forces, whose main pillar is the YPG, and fighters of Manbij Military Council, who were killed during clashes against the “Islamic State” organization and due to bombings in al-Raqqa city and the southern banks of Euphrates River.

Also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of at least 155 civilians including 36 child and 10 citizen women in mine explosions while they were trying to get out of areas controlled by the “Islamic State” organization in Al-Raqqah city, to areas controlled by the SDF since the 5th of June 2017 until today the 6th of October 2017, in addition to the injury of tens of other civilians, with varying degrees of severity and permanent disability.