- Title: Kurdish fighters in Syria push into Raqqa
- Date: 18th June 2017
- Summary: RAQQA, SYRIA (JUNE 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ROOFTOPS / HOMES IN CITY OF RAQQA (AUDIO OF CLASHES) SMOKE SEEN RISING BETWEEN BUILDINGS MORE OF ROOFTOPS / HOMES VARIOUS OF FEMALE KURDISH SNIPERS WITH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNIT (YPG) PREPARING WEAPON SNIPER AIMING HER RIFLE SNIPER FIRING HER GUN BUILDINGS TARGETED BY FIGHTERS MORE OF FIGHTERS RELOADING WEAPONS (SOUNDBITE) (Kurdish) FEMALE KURDISH SNIPER WITH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNIT (YPG), DALILA, SAYING: "Today all our people in the four corners of Kurdistan are suffering murder and slaughter. As part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, I am here to protect my country and my people from Daesh (a commonly used Arabic acronym for Islamic State) and from other threats. We will protect our people and our land until the end." DALILA AIMING HER WEAPON DALILA FIRING KURDISH FIGHTERS GATHERED IN A HOUSE FEMALE FIGHTER FIGHTER POINTING TO LOCATIONS / BUILDINGS AND ROOFTOPS SEEN VARIOUS OF SNIPER PREPARING HIS RIFLE FIGHTER AIMING HIS WEAPON BUILDINGS / ROOFTOPS IN CITY FIGHTER FIRING HIS RIFLE (SOUNDBITE) (Kurdish) SNIPER WITH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNIT (YPG), JEBAR, SAYING: "I work as a sniper to protect my colleagues. I also serve as lookout for the area we are in. This is my responsibility." VARIOUS OF FIGHTERS WALKING THROUGH STREET IN CITY BUILDINGS / PALM TREES ALONG THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KURDISH FIGHTER WITH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNIT (YPG), DAMHAT, SAYING: "When you hear the sound, it means there is a Daesh drone, it drops bombs. When we hear the sound, we hide, and later we carry on. The situation today is very good, the men are advancing, and so far we have not had any injuries. The planes are deploying strikes, heavy artillery is firing. I joined the fight to protect the oppressed, wherever there is someone oppressed, I want to defend them. I joined in 2013. I am not originally from here, I am from another village, with the People's Protection Unit. Wherever there is an oppressed people we will defend them, not just in Raqqa, wherever they are we will go." STREET IN CITY VARIOUS OF GRAFFITI SEEN ON WALL OF STORES DAMAGED STORE FRONTS FIGHTERS RUNNING THROUGH STREETS OF CITY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KURDISH FIGHTER WITH PEOPLE'S PROTECTION UNIT (YPG), DAMHAT, SAYING: "There is a Daesh (Islamic State) plane, whenever they see any of the comrade, they drop a bomb." GRAFFITI READING (Arabic): ISLAMIC STATE VARIOUS OF DAMAGE CAUSED TO BUILDING IN TOWN VARIOUS OF FIGHTERS GATHERED TO EAT DURING A BREAK
- Embargoed: 2nd July 2017 22:08
- Keywords: Raqqa advance Syria Defence Force Syria war Syria conflict Syria fighters
- Location: RAQQA, SYRIA
- City: RAQQA, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0016LT2IPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Syrian Democratic Forces continued their advance into the city of Raqqa on Sunday (June 18), with snipers and fighters targeting Islamic State in their hideouts in the city.
The U.S.-backed forces, made up predominantly of Kurdish fighters, have seized territory to the north, east and west of Raqqa. The city of about 200,000 has been the base of operations for Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians across the globe.
Some Kurdish fighters estimate there could be as many as 3,000 militants left in Raqqa, where buildings are pockmarked from fighting.
The U.S.-led coalition has in recent weeks escalated its aerial bombing campaign in northern Syria and Raqqa province. U.S.-backed forces have encircled the city of Raqqa and captured several districts from the militants. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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