Kurdish-led forces kill several IS snipers in Raqqa

RAQQA, Syria (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdish-led, US-backed alliance forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) in Syria on Thursday said they killed dozens of militants, including snipers, during military operations in Raqqa.

In an online statement, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they had killed 40 IS militants in the eastern front of Raqqa and 30 others in the western front.

The eastern front operation takes place in the old city with heavy fighting and intense clashes, especially after the SDF controlled the Mashlab and industrial neighborhoods a few weeks ago.

On their Raqqa Operation social media page, the Kurdish-led forces said they killed four IS snipers in the old city, east Raqqa.

Additionally, the SDF fighters controlled a medicine factory and a medical point used by the militants.

At the western front, the US-backed forces said they have been fighting fiercely in the neighborhoods of Bareed, Moroor, Nahda, and Deriya in the west part of the city.

The SDF said they killed three IS snipers in the Nahda neighborhood, west Raqqa.

At the moment, heavy clashes are taking place in the Moroor and Deriya neighborhoods which are besieged by the SDF.

The SDF fighters said they controlled strategic points, including mosques and school buildings that were used by IS as shelters and military points for planning and launching their attacks.

In the Moroor neighborhood, SDF fighters controlled the Uqba Bin Nafe school and Rahma mosque, while in Deriya, they controlled the Safa mosque, Anwar Quds mosque, and Khaled Bin Alwaleed school.

The US-backed forces said they rescued several civilians during their operations in the neighborhoods of Moroor and Deriya.

The rescued civilians included eight children, six women, and four men who have been transported to the safe liberated areas.

The operation in Raqqa city was launched in June by the SDF, of which the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) form a key component, with the support of the US-led anti-IS coalition.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany