The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have taken control of the historic Haron al-Rashid Citadel in the middle of the Old Raqqa area in the ISIS-held city of Raqqah. The SDF troops have managed to advance more than 700 meters inside the Old City.
SDF also continued its operations in Al-Dariya district in the western part of Raqqa City, where seven ISIS fighters have been killed. However, SDF hasn’t been able to capture Al-Dariya district until now.
ق.س.د تتمكن من قطع طرق امداد #داعش بين مناطق في #الرقة pic.twitter.com/CuERhge5Qa .
— البوابة (@AlBawaba11) 9 July 2017
From its side, ISIS claimed that its sniper killed five SDF fighters in the Qasr al-Banat area, Al-Furosiah Roundabout and Al-Jazra district in Raqqa city.
ISIS also claimed that a number of SDF fighters were killed and wounded after a VBIED attack on their positions in the Al-Sour al-Abbasi area in the eastern part of Raqqa city.
In the meantime, the Arab “Elite Forces” announced that the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is currently working to resolve the dispute between them and SDF within two days.
Elite Forces also confirmed that it would withdraw from the battle of Raqqa permanently if requested by the CENTCOM, but added that they will considered it a betrayal from the SDF. The tensions between Arabs and Kurds have recently escalated because Kurdish militias seek do dominate in the SDF-held area.
