Raqqa, the eastern Syrian city Islamic State had declared the capital of its so-called caliphate three years ago, has fallen to U.S.-backed forces after a five-month campaign to liberate the occupied city.
Leaders of the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, the loose constellation of Arab and Kurdish paramilitaries battling the Islamic State in Syria, said Tuesday that it had taken control of the city’s government center, municipal stadium and Paradise Square, where the terror group would regularly conduct public executions.
American and allied commanders with the U.S. coalition combating Islamic State in Iraq and Syria declared an end to major combat operations in the city, which was one of the first major metropolitan areas to be taken by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, three years ago.
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