Int'l coalition halts Raqqa liberation process as Syrian forces

MOSCOW - 21 September 2017: Amid the Syrian troops’ success, the US-led international coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have halted the operation on liberating Raqqa, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday

Central areas of the former Daesh capital, which amount to around 25% of the city’s territory, remain under full control of terrorists, the Russian news agency TASS reported, quoting Konashenkov.

Russia’s control means recorded that the SDF forces have been dispatched from Raqqa’s province to the northern areas of the Deir ez-Zor province," Konashenkov added.

Fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces approaching Deir ez-Zor from the north are easily joining Daesh terrorists, and Russian drones and reconnaissance recorded no clash between Daesh with a "third force," namely the SDF over the past week, he explained.