Aerial and artillery shelling on the city of Al-Raqqah and clashes continue between the Syria Democratic Forces and the “Islamic State” organization

Al-Raqqah Province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: The city of Al-Raqqah is witnessing shelling by the forces of “Euphrates Wrath” Operation, coincide with flying of warplanes of the International Coalition over the city, and their targeting again to areas controlled by the “Islamic State” organization in the city which the organization still controls less than half of it, where tens of thousands were trapped between the International Coalition and the organization, while clashes are taking place between the SDF supported by the US Special Forces on one hand, and the members of the “Islamic State” organization on the other, in areas in the city of Al-Raqqah, where the clashes accompanied by exchange of targeting in the clash areas which is taking place in the vicinity of the center of Al-Raqqah city.

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.