On Saturday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that its fighters captured new positions in al-Daryiah district in the western part of Raqqa city.
هذه هي الشجاعة: رفاق الدرب العرب والاكراد ضمن #قسد يثخنون بداعش في معارك #الرقة ويضحون بأنفسهم من اجل حماية مناطقهم واخوتهم #برشلونة pic.twitter.com/FHMntTo6co
— قوات سوريا من الجبهة (@QSD_Jabha) 19 August 2017
53 ISIS fighters were reportedly killed by the SDF in al-Mansur and al-Rashid districts in the center of Raqqa city and in Rawdah district in the eastern part of the city, and in al-Barid and al-Daryiah districts in western part of the city.
The US-led coalition dropped thousands of leaflets over al-Mansur and Shubat-23 districts in Raqqa city. According to the official SDF website, the leaflets were dropped to encourage civilians to leave the ISIS-held area, and to debunk the ISIS propaganda.
The coalition warplanes dropping posters over #Raqqa city#RAQQA #Syria #ISIS #YPG#الرقة_تذبح_بصمت pic.twitter.com/cgOtOEwndu
— الرقة تذبح بصمت (@Raqqa_SL) 19 August 2017
On August 18, ISIS claimed that 15 SDF fighters were killed after their position was targeted with a VBIED in the eastern part of Raqqa city. Moreover, the ISIS-linked Amaq news agency published photos of ISIS fighters attacking SDF positions in al-Mansour district in Raqqa city.
Meanwhile, opposition sources claimed that a family of 6 members was killed in a US-led collation airstrike on Raqqa city on Saturday.
Development on the ground suggests that the Old Raqqa area in the center of Raqqa remain a priority for the SDF advance inside the city.
