VIDEO: Kurdistan24 team attacked by IS in Raqqa

RAQQA, Syria (Kurdistan24) – On Friday, a group of journalists including a Kurdistan24 correspondent and cameraman were attacked by Islamic State (IS) insurgents while covering the US-backed operation to retake the city of Raqqa in northern Syria.

Ekrem Salih, a Kurdistan24 correspondent embedded with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), reported he and the cameraman were stuck at a point north of Raqqa where clashes erupted.

“[IS] attacked us from two sides and the SDF fighters fought them with the aid of coalition air strikes,” Salih said.

The SDF fighters fought for about two hours and managed to save the media team and transport them to a safe area.

Later, an AFP reporter embedded with the team blamed one of the members for live streaming or reporting their location the night before the attack. 

Three IS insurgents were killed in the clashes, one by a coalition air strike and two by SDF fighters.

Additionally, a suicide bomber was killed by SDF fighters before detonating his explosives.

Two SDF fighters lost their lives in the fight.

The SDF command with the aid of the US-led international coalition recently launched the third phase of the operation to retake Raqqa from IS.

Phase three of the Raqqa offensive targeting areas to the east of the city resumed last week with more support by the US-led coalition.

“We got eight improved armored vehicles, and this is a sign of more support by the new US administration,” the SDF spokesperson Talal Silo told Kurdistan24 last week.

The first phase of the Raqqa offensive targeting areas north of the city was launched in November 2016.

The second phase targeting areas to the west of the city resumed in December 2016 and is ongoing to capture the IS-held Euphrates dam.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Additional reporting by Ekrem Salih and Hozan Khesho from Raqqa)