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The ISIS-linked News Agency Amaq published an infographic showing alleged losses of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the Raqqa battle so far.
In the infographic, ISIS claimed that 1040 SDF fighters have been killed so far. ISIS also claimed that its fighters have carried out 54 attacks against SDF in the city, 36 of which were attacks with SVBIEDs. 4 of the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers with explosive belts.
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Moreover, ISIS claimed that its fighters have damaged 6 SDF vehicles and destroyed 23 vehicles, including 3 BMP-1 armored vehicles. ISIS fighters have also downed a UAV over Raqqa.
The SDF has captured all southern districts of Raqqa city, according to pro-Kurdish sources. SDF troops, which advanced from the east side, met with those that advanced from the western side after capturing ISIS last position in Nazlat Shehadeh district. However, no official sources have confirmed this so far.
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If the SDF control over the southern part of Raqqa city is confirmed, this would be a major achievement for the SDF, which are advancing slowly in because of a strong resistance of ISIS.
According to SDF spokesperson Jehan Sheikh Ahmed, ISIS fighters rely on “intensive mines planting in everywhere and in every centimeter” in Raqqa city.
SDF fighters are also being targeted by professional ISIS snipers and ISIS armed drones on a daily basis order to stop SDF advance according to Jihan Sheikh Ahmed.
The steady progress continues….
Hell of a fight. I would like to see the statistics that compare this battle to that of Mosul and also of Aleppo. It seems the progress is slower despite raqqa being a smaller city.
The Iraqi campaign to retake Mosul took 8 months and required over 105,000 soldiers. Raqqa City has been under attack since 6 June … 2 months and 10 days. There are estimated to be about 40,000 SDF and allied troops attacking Raqqa. Raqqa is tiny compared to Mosul. Mosul once had a population of up to 1.5 million people. Raqqa in 2004 had just 220,000 people.
Aleppo took about 6 months to achieve total SAA control. The Castello Road offensive started at the end of June 2016. . I don’t have any troop numbers. Aleppo had a bigger population than Mosul pre-war: over 2.1 million people. A large part of Aleppo was already in SAA hands so direct comparisons are difficult.
the 1000 statistics is not true, it’s probably half of what the ISIS news agency claim
Wikipedia claims a little under 300 but is not fully up to date. So my guestimate would be between 300 and 400.
Read an article new recuits are going into battle with just, in some cases, 3 weeks training. Seems to me a bit undertrained if they are send straight into the fighting.
lots and lots of mercenaries dead