The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

After 50 days of the start of the grand battle of Al-Raqqah… the SDF control about 50% of the city

Al-Raqqah city, the capital of the “Islamic State” organization and its stronghold in Syria, is witnessing one day after the other constant clashes at a different pace of violence, with each party trying to achieve advancement at the expense of the other, in order to attack or to counterattack, between the Syria Democratic Forces supported by US Special Forces supported by the International Coalition warplanes; against members of the “Islamic State” organization, in the last 24 hours the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the Syria Democratic Forces achieving a strategic advancement in the neighbourhood of Nazlat Shhada in the southern part of Al-Raqqah city, which is adjacent to the northern banks of the Euphrates River, and took control of about half of the neighbourhood with the Panorama area, and with this control, the fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces were able to extend their control over 50% of the area of Al-Raqqah city, which is after 50 days of the start of the grand battle of Al-Raqqah, led by the Syria Democratic Forces with the support of the International Coalition and the US Special Forces, this advancement came with the support of the International Coalition warplanes and Apache helicopters which participated in bombing the “Islamic State” Organization and targeting its members in the city, to pave the way for advancement in front of the ground forces in the neighborhoods, which caused casualties in the ranks of the organization, and the clashes are accompanied  by bombing at least one booby trapped vehicle.

The Syria Democratic Forces since the start of the grand battle of Al-Raqqah until now have been able to control of the entire areas located west of the New Bridge in the southern and western sections of Al-Raqqah city. Specifically, they took full control of neighborhoods of Al-Sabahiya, Al-Romaniya, Hutteen, Qadisiyah and Yarmouk, west of the city, in addition to Mashlab, Al-Batani and Al-Sinaa neighborhoods. Moreover, they control about half of the neighborhood of Hisham bin Abdul Malik and parts of the Old City and the neighborhoods Al-Rawda and Al-Rumaila as well as the Euphrates Basin Housing and Al-Idikhar Housing and the northern parts of Al-Dar’eiyah neighborhood. The Panorama roundabout, Panorama Triangle and the western parts of Nazlat Shhada neighborhood are also under their gunfire coverage. The SOHR also learned that groups of the Syria Democratic Forces operating in the southern part of Al-Raqqah city are attempting to advance and unite by advancing and taking control of Hisham Bin Abdul Malik neighborhood and Nazlat Shhada neighborhood, located on the northern banks of the Euphrates. If so, the Syria Democratic Forces would clamp down on the “Islamic State” organization, the power of which is concentrated in the center of Al-Raqqah city.