US-backed forces push closer to IS ‘capital’ Raqa

After announcing the start of the long-awaited offensive on Raqa on Sunday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance said it had moved south towards the city despite fierce jihadist resistance. South of Mosul, Iraqi forces had retaken the town of Hamam al-Alil from IS, a key objective in their three-week advance on the city. Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under the jihadists’ control and their capture would deal a knockout blow to the selfstyled ‘caliphate’ IS declared in mid-2014. The US-led coalition that launched operations against IS two years ago is providing crucial backing to the offensives, with both air strikes and special forces advisers on the ground.