MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The SDF, formed in 2015 as the defense force of northern Syria's de facto autonomous Rojava federation and supported by the US-led coalition, announced the launch of a military operation to liberate Raqqa from Daesh on Sunday. Syrian Democratic Forces urged international and region forces to support the operation, dubbed Euphrates Rage.
"The Syrian Democratic Forces have begun their operation to isolate the city of Raqqah [Raqqa] and other ISIL-held territory in Syria. In addition to setting conditions for the ultimate liberation of Raqqah, ISIL’s [Daesh's] self-proclaimed capital, the operation will also cut off militants from ISIL in Mosul, Iraq," Townsend was quoted as saying in a US military Operation Inherent Resolve statement.
The operation to liberate Raqqa will be the second major offensive against Daesh this fall. On October 17, Iraqi troops supported by the Kurdish Peshmerga units and US-led coalition airstrikes launched an offensive to retake Mosul, the main Daesh's stronghold in Iraq.
