SDF achieve a new advancement southwest of Al-Raqqah city within grand battle of Al-Raqqah

Al-Raqqah Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: a man, his wife and their 2 children were killed in bombing by the “Islamic State” organization on villages located on the northern banks of Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Raqqa, also violent explosions rocked areas in the eastern countryside of Raqqa, caused by successive airstrikes carried out by warplanes believed to belong to the International Coalition on places in Zor Shamar area, no information about casualties, while the clashes continue between the Syria Democratic forces supported by the US Special Forces against members of the “Islamic State” organization, in areas in Al-Raqqah city, and the clashes are focused in areas in neighborhoods of the Old City, Yarmouk and Hisham bin Abdul Malik, amid new advancement for the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces, where the Syria Democratic Forces were able to take control of the area extending from al-neighbourhood of Nazlat Shahdeh to al-Jazrah suburb, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of 10 fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces who were killed in the shelling, bombings and clashes against organization in Al-Raqqah city and its vicinity.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published that the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces managed to advance and take control of the western part of Yarmouk neighborhood. Meanwhile, clashes continue between both parties in an attempt by the factions to make a new advancement and expand their area of control and thus minimize ISIS-controlled areas. Cross-sources confirmed to the SOHR that hundreds of families managed to flee ISIS-controlled areas in Al-Raqqah city during the last 48 hours to SDF-controlled areas at the outskirts of the city and in its vicinity. In addition, the SOHR published on the 12th of July 2017 that hundreds of civilians, including children and female citizens, managed within 48 hours prior to that date to flee ISIS-controlled areas to areas controlled by the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces, west of Aleppo, and they all managed to reach SDF-controlled areas. The SOHR also learned that the number of civilians in ISIS-controlled areas in the city is estimated to be tens of thousands of children, female citizens, young men, and men who were caught between the International Coalition shelling and military operations on one hand and the “Islamic State” organization, which is using them as human shields on the other.