During the security operation of SDF, more than 200 members of Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade are arrested and the sweep operations continue in the city and north of it and clashes leave casualties
Al-Raqqah Province, the Syrian Observatory for human rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the sweep operation of the Syria Democratic Forces in al-Raqqah city and its surroundings continues, where the Syrian Observatory monitored the continuation of the sweep operations in the Division 17th north of al-Raqqah and in al-Rumaila neighborhood northeast of the city, which is the stronghold of Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade, the reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that more than 200 members have been arrested, including the commander of the Brigade known as Abu Issa, while the sweep operation continues in search for cells belong to Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that 4 fighters of the Syria Democratic Forces were killed, and 7 others were injured; during clashes against members refused to surrender of the brigade inside al-Raqqah city, while the Syrian observatory published hours ago that about 5000 members of the security forces, the Syria Democratic Forces, and intelligence members arrived during the hours of last night to al-Raqqah, and surrounded the city and spread in its roads, public squares, and alleys, and then this morning they started to carry out raids, after which they have arrested more than 90 members of Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade so far, after carrying out raids on headquarters and houses inside al-Raqqah city and on its outskirts, while the fate of the Brigade’s commander remains unknown after his disappearance, sources from within the city confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that members of Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade have started handing over their weapons and surrendering to the Syria Democratic Forces who spread inside the city, which has been under a curfew since the dawn of today and it is scheduled to last for 48 hours, until completing the sweep operation carried out by the Syria Democratic Forces, who justified the alert and curfew they imposed by saying that they received information that sleeper cells have entered al-Raqqah city to launch an attack and carry out retaliatory operations inside the city and spread chaos, while this alert came after the series of targeting by unknown gunmen for the Syria Democratic Forces; inside al-Raqqah city, its surroundings and its countryside, through bombings and shootings that targeted their members, which killed and injured several them.
The Syrian Observatory published in the morning of today that Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade issued a statement and the Syrian Observatory received a copy of it, it says:
“Our headquarters in al-Raqqah city and its surroundings are under a treacherous operation by the militia of SDF, during which SDF militia have surrounded our headquarters with members and heavily armed vehicles, we calling upon the International Coalition Forces and especially the United States of America to intervene immediately to stop this treacherous aggression, and we hold them fully responsible for any consequences caused by this operation, and we call upon our people in al-Raqqah to take a real and serious stand with their brothers in Thowwar al-Raqqah Brigade to stand up against SDF and against their repressive and oppressive practices.”
The Syrian Observatory published on the 27th of May 2018 that areas in Al-Raqqah city have been witnessing tension between the Syria Democratic Forces supported by the International Coalition on one hand, and Thowwar Al-Raqqah Brigade on the other, since today evening, Sunday the 27th of May 2018, amid mobilizations by each party in the area, accompanied by the sound of sporadic gunfire, amid a demonstration which went out in al-Rumaila neighborhood in the city, in an attempt to prevent the SDF from arresting a commander in Thowwar Al-Raqqah Brigade, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the International Coalition’s forces have intervened to settle the ongoing dispute between the SDF and Thowwar Al-Raqqah.