The U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces announced on Sunday the start of a campaign to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa, the militant Islamic State group's de facto capital, would begin within hours, with U.S. forces providing air cover. In a press conference in the Syrian town of Ain Issa, commanders of SDF, said the goal of the operation, called Angry Euphrates, would be liberating Raqqa from the terrorist group. The Syrian YPG Kurdish force is one of the most powerful militias in Syria and regarded as the backbone of SDF, a U.S.-backed alliance formed last year to fight Islamic State. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Sunday the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State should begin the battle for Raqqa while the offensive on Mosul is underway. "I believe it will be necessary," he told Europe 1 radio. Le Drian, whose country is the second-biggest contributor to the coalition, added that the battle for Mosul would be long and complicated given that Islamic State was embedding itself within the local population.
US-backed forces announce operation to seize Raqqa
As battle to liberate Mosul underway in Iraq, Syria Democratic Forces announce push to free Raqqa, Islamic State's stronghold in Syria • Battle set to begin shortly with U.S. air cover • France says "necessary" for battles to be fought at same time.
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