Forces push closer to IS ‘capital’ Raqa

Ain Issa (Syria): A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance pushed closer to Raqa and Iraqi forces seized a key town near Mosul as offensives advanced today against the two Islamic State group strongholds. After announcing the start of the long-awaited offensive on Raqa, the Syrian Democratic Forces 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 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 self-styled ‘caliphate’ IS declared in mid-2014. AFP