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On Wednesday, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of three villages in the northern Raqqa countryside: Al-Flic, Abu Qayarah and Al-Jif. The villages were liberated after clashes in which 7 ISIS militants were killed. After capturing the gate of the 17th Division, the SDF is only in 3 km from the northern entrance of Raqqa city.
Cashes are ongoing in the strategic village of Al-Badr in the eastern Raqqa countryside. The SDF is trying to capture it in order to reach the eastern entrance of Raqqah.
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According to opposition sources, the US Marines artillery shelled ISIS fighters in the 17th Division base. US-led coalition warplanes targeted the northern and eastern part of the Raqqah countryside with eight airstrikes, destroying 4 vehicles, 2 VBIEDs and 2 ISIS positions. US-led collation warplanes also bombed ISIS positions west of Tabqah with three airstrikes.
From its side, ISIS claimed that its members killed and wounded a number of alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party members as a result of an attack on their positions in the al-Ahoos area in the eastern Raqqa countryside.
The SDF advance started slowing down after reaching ISIS’s main defense lines north and east of Raqqa. It is expected that clashes will intensify after the SDF captured the 7th Division base and (or) Al-Badr village.
