US-backed forces are roughly 1 mile away from the ISIS capital — and thousands of civilians are already fleeing

Thomson Reuters AMMAN — With United States-backed ground forces two kilometers away from Raqqa city, thousands of civilians are already fleeing ahead of the battle for the heart of Islamic State territory in Syria, while nearby displacement camps brace for an even greater influx in the days to come. As of Wednesday, the Syrian Democratic […]

US-backed forces just got ISIS to surrender a Syrian city, and it’s not the first time it’s happened

Thomson Reuters US-backed forces got ISIS fighters to surrender a Syrian town near Raqqa, and, surprisingly, it’s not the first time. The Syrian Arab Coalition and Syrian Democratic Forces “completed the liberation of the Tabqah Dam, as well as the city of Tabqah and its nearby airfield,” on Wednesday, according to a US Central Command […]

Germany bans over 30 Kurdish symbols, incl. flag of US-backed Syrian militia fighting ISIS – report

Berlin has reportedly banned a total of 33 symbols used by Kurdish political and military groups, including the flag of a US ally in Syria, YPG militia, and a portrait of an outlawed Kurdish party leader. The move comes amid Germany’s tensions with Turkey. Read more In a letter, seen by German Spiegel newspaper on […]

US-backed Iraqi troops launch renewed push on ISIS-held areas of Mosul city center

US-backed Iraqi troops have launched a renewed push towards the Mosul city center, which has been held by Islamic State militants, the Iraqi military said, as cited by Reuters. Earlier UN data showed that 750,000 people may be trapped in the city. Iraqi forces are advancing from the south and the southwest towards the old […]