US-led coalition airdrops forces in Raqqa province as IS offensive intensifies
Beirut — The US-led coalition has air-dropped US and allied Syrian forces near Tabqa in Raqqa province, expanding a campaign by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militias against Islamic State (IS), the SDF confirmed on Wednesday. The operation aims both to capture the al-Tabqa area, across the Euphrates from the SDF’s other main holdings, and to curb Syrian government advances in that direction, the SDF’s Raqqa campaign said in a statement on social media. The landing forces had seized four small villages in the area west of al-Tabqa and cut a main highway that links the provinces of Raqqa, Deir al-Zor and Aleppo, the SDF, a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias said. "American forces have conducted a landing operation for US ground forces, along with special forces" from the Raqqa campaign, it said. A local official familiar with SDF operations said the air-drop operation aimed to secure a crossing point for forces coming in boats across the Euphrates, which began arriv...
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