SDF forces making 'excellent progress' in Raqqa push - coalition deputy commander

Record ID: 903798

  • Title: SDF forces making 'excellent progress' in Raqqa push - coalition deputy commander
  • Date: 23rd July 2017
  • Summary: RAQQA, SYRIA (JULY 23, 2017) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) VEHICLES ARRIVING VARIOUS OF ROBERT JONES, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION FORCES AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE, SPEAKING WITH RAQQA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SHAKING HANDS JONES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WALKING TOWARDS BUILDING VARIOUS OF JONES SHAKING HANDS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS JONES, SECURITY OFFICIALS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS WALKING INSIDE BUILDING VARIOUS OF SECURITY OFFICIALS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE JONES WALKING UP TO PODIUM TOP MAKE STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROBERT JONES, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION FORCES AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE, SAYING: "As you know in Iraq, in the last week or so, Iraqi security forces completed the defeat of Daesh (Islamic State) in Mosul. That was a crushing blow for Daesh and that has been followed up here as you know in Syria, where the Syrian Democratic Forces are making excellent progress fighting their way into Raqqa. We always knew that fight will be tough and of course it is, but they are making great progress and we should commend them for that." JONES SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROBERT JONES, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION FORCES AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE SAYING: "The liberation of Raqqa will be really a decisive blow to Daesh. It will complete the liberation of their so-called and so-proclaimed capital here in Syria and when combined with the liberation of Mosul is fundamental to the defeat of Daesh." VARIOUS OF TRUCKS TRANSPORTING ARMOURED VEHICLES DRIVING ALONG ROAD
  • Embargoed: 7th August 2017 00:04
  • Keywords: Robert Jones Deputy Commander of the International Coalition Forces against Islamic State Raqqa Syria Syrian Democratic Forces
  • Location: RAQQA, SYRIA
  • City: RAQQA, SYRIA
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016QXTLQF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are making "excellent progress" as they push further into Raqqa in their fight against the Islamic State , the Deputy Commander of the International Coalition Forces against Islamic State, Robert Jones said on Sunday (July 23).
    During his visit he met Raqqa's civil council and he commended the efforts made by the SDF and said that the dual liberation of Raqqa and Mosul would be "fundamental" to the defeat of IS.
    Under the banner of the SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias are fighting to take Raqqa back from the Islamic State, after they took control of the Syrian city at the beginning of 2014.
    With air strikes and special forces from the U.S.-led coalition, the SDF pushed into Raqqa in June 2017 after advancing on the city for months.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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