An Islamic State group suicide bomber attacked a centre for Kurdish forces in the northern Syrian city of Raqa on Monday, killing four civilians and an anti-jihadist fighter, a monitor said.

The attacker blew himself up after entering the centre run by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"A suicide attacker wearing an explosives belt blew himself up inside a YPG centre after opening fire on a security checkpoint at its entrance," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.&nbsp;

At least four civilians and a YPG fighter were killed in the attack, he added.

The YPG forms the backbone an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling to expel IS from its last redoubt in eastern Syria.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack they said targeted a "recruitment centre" for Kurdish forces.

"The attacker aimed at them with a machine gun then blew up his explosives vest in the middle of them," it said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Backed by the US-led coalition, the SDF has in recent weeks advanced against IS fighters in their last holdout in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor near the Iraqi border.

The jihadists are clinging on to a handful of villages in the Euphrates River Valley, including Sousa and Baghouz.

They also retain a presence in the country's vast Badia desert.

IS swept across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across areas under its control. But it has since lost most of that territory to various offensives.

The SDF ousted IS fighters from Raqa in 2017, more than three years after the jihadists overran the city and made it their de-facto Syrian capital.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions more since it erupted in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.

An Islamic State group suicide bomber attacked a centre for Kurdish forces in the northern Syrian city of Raqa on Monday, killing four civilians and an anti-jihadist fighter, a monitor said.

An Islamic State group suicide bomber attacked a centre for Kurdish forces in the northern Syrian city of Raqa on Monday, killing four civilians and an anti-jihadist fighter, a monitor said. The attacker blew himself up after entering the centre run by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "A suicide attacker wearing an explosives belt blew himself up inside a YPG centre after opening fire on a security checkpoint at its entrance," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. At least four civilians and a YPG fighter were killed in the attack, he added. The YPG forms the backbone an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling to expel IS from its last redoubt in eastern Syria. IS claimed responsibility for the attack they said targeted a "recruitment centre" for Kurdish forces. "The attacker aimed at them with a machine gun then blew up his explosives vest in the middle of them," it said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. Backed by the US-led coalition, the SDF has in recent weeks advanced against IS fighters in their last holdout in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor near the Iraqi border. The jihadists are clinging on to a handful of villages in the Euphrates River Valley, including Sousa and Baghouz. They also retain a presence in the country's vast Badia desert. IS swept across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across areas under its control. But it has since lost most of that territory to various offensives. The SDF ousted IS fighters from Raqa in 2017, more than three years after the jihadists overran the city and made it their de-facto Syrian capital. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions more since it erupted in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.

IS suicide bomber kills 5 in Syria's Raqa: Monitor

Mohammed Kuraji returned to Syria&#39;s Raqa to prepare a homecoming but ended up organising a funeral. Stepping into his home, an unexploded mine detonated and killed his elderly father.

&quot;It was terrifying. The blast was so strong that I couldn&#39;t hear,&quot; said the 26-year-old, who was also wounded in the incident two months ago.

The Islamic State group was ousted from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa in October, but it left mines scattered across the ravaged city.

Residents are desperate to return home, but they are being maimed and killed by unexploded -- and sometimes insidiously hidden -- ordnance.

Under piles of rubble, behind old refrigerator doors, in blown-out buildings, IS has sown death everywhere.

The explosives in Kuraji&#39;s home were triggered when his father leaned down to pick up a copy of the Koran.

&quot;I was thrown back into the neighbour&#39;s house and a wall collapsed onto my father,&quot; said Kuraji, who has two young children.

He said from under a mountain of blankets, pulling back the covers to reveal his legs, set in place by splints and screws in his shins.

Minehunting 

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces ousted IS from Raqa in October, then handed the city over to the Raqa Civil Council.

But Raqa natives are complaining that demining firms hired by the RCC are taking too long, and have taken matters into their own hands.

Young men are charging up to $100 to search and clear homes of mines -- a small fortune for war-weary Syrians.

&quot;It&#39;s becoming a lucrative business. The officials are ignoring it, and we don&#39;t have the means,&quot; said resident Hamed Saleh, 28.

A large part of his home in Raqa is inaccessible because of mines.

&quot;At any moment, even if a cat is just passing by, a bomb could go off. It&#39;s terrifying,&quot; said Saleh.

According to Human Rights Watch, local officials were receiving about 10 requests for house inspections for a single neighbourhood, every day.

But they were only able to clear about 10 cases per week across the entire city, the New York-based rights group said this week.

It documented at least 491 people, including 157 children, wounded in mine blasts, many of whom died.

Goh Mayama of the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said his clinic receives an average of six mine blast casualties a day on average in Raqa, about a quarter of whom die.

&nbsp;&#39;A view to kill&#39;&nbsp;

Demining operations in Raqa have been supported by the US-led coalition that backed the SDF&#39;s drive against IS.

In December, the SDF said it had demined half the city.

&quot;The hospitals, public institutions, schools, power stations, and bakeries are all demined,&quot; said SDF official Lokman Khalil.

&quot;Raqa&#39;s a big city. There&#39;s a huge number of mines and it&#39;ll take time,&quot; he said.

He said the SDF had tried to keep civilians away, but Raqa natives eager to leave displacement camps and come home had ramped up the pressure.

Now, the city&#39;s main streets have been cleared for traffic, though mounds of debris still line the sidewalks.

Outside one damaged building, a group of children in oversized sweaters rummages through a pile of twisted metal and corrugated iron.

Men with picks and shovels poke through the ruins, emerging occasionally with an unexploded mine.

&quot;We&#39;re paying people out of our own pockets to clear our streets and houses,&quot; said Abu Mohammed, a resident in his forties.

The four-storey apartment building he owns has been completely destroyed, but he cannot begin rebuilding because of mines inside.

&quot;I have three kids. I keep them locked at home so that mines don&#39;t go off as they walk in the streets,&quot; he said.

According to the United Nations, some 60,000 people have returned to Raqa despite warnings of the danger.

&quot;The number of unexploded ordnance in Raqa is something that we have never seen before. It&#39;s extreme,&quot; said Panos Moumtzis, the UN regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria.

Between 50 and 70 people were being wounded or killed every week because of mines in the city.

&quot;Just to give you a point of comparison, it&#39;s the number that takes place in Afghanistan in a year,&quot; Moumtzis said.

&quot;It&#39;s planted with a view to kill.&quot;

&nbsp;

The Islamic State group was ousted from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa in October, but it left mines scattered across the ravaged city.

Mohammed Kuraji returned to Syria's Raqa to prepare a homecoming but ended up organising a funeral. Stepping into his home, an unexploded mine detonated and killed his elderly father. "It was terrifying. The blast was so strong that I couldn't hear," said the 26-year-old, who was also wounded in the incident two months ago. The Islamic State group was ousted from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa in October, but it left mines scattered across the ravaged city. Residents are desperate to return home, but they are being maimed and killed by unexploded -- and sometimes insidiously hidden -- ordnance. Under piles of rubble, behind old refrigerator doors, in blown-out buildings, IS has sown death everywhere. The explosives in Kuraji's home were triggered when his father leaned down to pick up a copy of the Koran. "I was thrown back into the neighbour's house and a wall collapsed onto my father," said Kuraji, who has two young children. He said from under a mountain of blankets, pulling back the covers to reveal his legs, set in place by splints and screws in his shins. Minehunting The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces ousted IS from Raqa in October, then handed the city over to the Raqa Civil Council. But Raqa natives are complaining that demining firms hired by the RCC are taking too long, and have taken matters into their own hands. Young men are charging up to $100 to search and clear homes of mines -- a small fortune for war-weary Syrians. "It's becoming a lucrative business. The officials are ignoring it, and we don't have the means," said resident Hamed Saleh, 28. A large part of his home in Raqa is inaccessible because of mines. "At any moment, even if a cat is just passing by, a bomb could go off. It's terrifying," said Saleh. According to Human Rights Watch, local officials were receiving about 10 requests for house inspections for a single neighbourhood, every day. But they were only able to clear about 10 cases per week across the entire city, the New York-based rights group said this week. It documented at least 491 people, including 157 children, wounded in mine blasts, many of whom died. Goh Mayama of the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said his clinic receives an average of six mine blast casualties a day on average in Raqa, about a quarter of whom die. 'A view to kill' Demining operations in Raqa have been supported by the US-led coalition that backed the SDF's drive against IS. In December, the SDF said it had demined half the city. "The hospitals, public institutions, schools, power stations, and bakeries are all demined," said SDF official Lokman Khalil. "Raqa's a big city. There's a huge number of mines and it'll take time," he said. He said the SDF had tried to keep civilians away, but Raqa natives eager to leave displacement camps and come home had ramped up the pressure. Now, the city's main streets have been cleared for traffic, though mounds of debris still line the sidewalks. Outside one damaged building, a group of children in oversized sweaters rummages through a pile of twisted metal and corrugated iron. Men with picks and shovels poke through the ruins, emerging occasionally with an unexploded mine. "We're paying people out of our own pockets to clear our streets and houses," said Abu Mohammed, a resident in his forties. The four-storey apartment building he owns has been completely destroyed, but he cannot begin rebuilding because of mines inside. "I have three kids. I keep them locked at home so that mines don't go off as they walk in the streets," he said. According to the United Nations, some 60,000 people have returned to Raqa despite warnings of the danger. "The number of unexploded ordnance in Raqa is something that we have never seen before. It's extreme," said Panos Moumtzis, the UN regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria. Between 50 and 70 people were being wounded or killed every week because of mines in the city. "Just to give you a point of comparison, it's the number that takes place in Afghanistan in a year," Moumtzis said. "It's planted with a view to kill."

Desperate to come home, Syrians brave IS mines in Raqa

The fight to oust the Islamic State jihadist group from its Syrian stronghold Raqa has displaced thousands of civilians, but some have decided to stay on the frontlines despite the dangers.

Although the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured over half of Raqa city since they first entered it in June, the battle remains grinding and fierce.

In Al-Sabahiya district of western Raqa, 40-year-old Anud was watching as plumes of black smoke rise from the battlefield just streets away.

She fled to the neighbourhood with her husband and seven children two weeks ago after their home in the city centre was destroyed.

Her face covered in a black-and-white scarf, Anud told that the abandoned home they were living in belonged to her brother, who had fled to a camp.&nbsp;

&quot;We couldn&#39;t pay 50,000 pounds ($100) to rent a home, so we came and opened up my brother&#39;s house in this dangerous area,&quot; she said.

&quot;We cleaned it and removed five mines that were inside the rooms.&quot; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The house is completely empty, its blue ceramic tiled floor bare and the walls unadorned except for black graffiti. &nbsp;

Al-Sabahiya was one of the first neighbourhoods captured by the SDF, but it remains dangerous.

&quot;We don&#39;t let the children leave the house because we&#39;re afraid mines might explode underneath them,&quot; Anud said.

The family&#39;s belongings are still stacked in the white lorry parked outside, ready in case they have to flee at a moment&#39;s notice.

&quot;We&#39;re living on the edge. We don&#39;t know how we will die,&quot; she sighed. &quot;God protect us. May Raqa be liberated so that we can return to our homes in peace.&quot;&nbsp;

As Anud gestured, her 11-year-old son Ahmed listened in silence.&nbsp;

Ahmed stopped speaking after the trauma of seeing his home destroyed, his father wounded, and his neighbours displaced in fierce bombardment of his district.

Outside, a pair of scrawny young boys pushed a wheelbarrow full of jerry cans to a nearby canal to draw some water.&nbsp;

Much of Al-Sabahiya has been destroyed by fighting, and civilians desperately rummage through the rubble looking for salvageable items.&nbsp;

It is Abu Ghanem&#39;s native neighbourhood, but the fighting in Raqa has displaced his family several times. &nbsp;

&quot;Back and forth, back and forth, sometimes we can go back to our houses, sometimes we go and sit in the open,&quot; the man in his sixties said.

He said his family can&#39;t afford to leave the city and rent a home elsewhere.

&quot;Sometimes there&#39;s no bread, sometimes there&#39;s no flour, sometimes there&#39;s nothing to eat,&quot; he said.

He sat cross-legged on a blue wicker mat inside his simple home, dragging on a cigarette as relatives lit a small camping stove to begin cooking.&nbsp;

Air strikes and bombardment still regularly shake the walls of his house, whose glass windows had long since shattered.

&quot;In the middle of the night, the children wake up and ask for bread because they are hungry,&quot; Abu Ghanem said.

&quot;We&#39;re living on the front line in the middle of fear and terror.&quot;

His wife, Umm Ghanem, would rather leave the area.

&quot;Should we stay here to die?&quot; she asked angrily of her husband. &quot;We don&#39;t know when a mine could explode. We&#39;re holding our lives in our hands.&quot; 
 
When Fatima Ahmed&#39;s family fled their home in the western Al-Romaniya district, they initially headed to a camp for the displaced, like thousands of other civilians from Raqa.

But she said it was impossible to survive at the camp without money to buy basic necessities, so they headed back to Al-Sabahiya.

&quot;We&#39;re staying here, what can we do? We don&#39;t have the money to leave,&quot; she said, dressed in a black robe.&nbsp;

Conditions in the camps for the displaced scattered across Raqa province are harsh, according to UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross.&nbsp;

Food and clean water are difficult to access, displaced families struggle in the blistering heat, and even the most basic medicine is often unavailable.&nbsp;

That leaves Raqa natives like Fatima torn between being unable to afford life in the camp and trying to keep their families safe.

&quot;There are a lot of mines here... We spend all day standing over the children like guards to make sure they don&#39;t get hurt,&quot; she said.

&quot;We don&#39;t have anything -- no water, no electricity. We take water from an irrigation canal nearby and it&#39;s dirty.&quot;&nbsp;

The home they are squatting in is near a position held by an SDF unit, which sometimes provides them with bread, sugar, and other food to survive.

Al-Sabahiya lies adjacent to their home district of Al-Romaniya, but in battle-torn Raqa, it feels worlds away. &nbsp;

&quot;We hope that the situation and the danger will end and we can go back to our homes because we&#39;re fed up with death and fear,&quot; she said.

Although the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have captured over half of Raqa city since they first entered it in June, the battle remains grinding and fierce

The fight to oust the Islamic State jihadist group from its Syrian stronghold Raqa has displaced thousands of civilians, but some have decided to stay on the frontlines despite the dangers. Although the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have captured over half of Raqa city since they first entered it in June, the battle remains grinding and fierce. In Al-Sabahiya district of western Raqa, 40-year-old Anud was watching as plumes of black smoke rise from the battlefield just streets away. She fled to the neighbourhood with her husband and seven children two weeks ago after their home in the city centre was destroyed. Her face covered in a black-and-white scarf, Anud told that the abandoned home they were living in belonged to her brother, who had fled to a camp. "We couldn't pay 50,000 pounds ($100) to rent a home, so we came and opened up my brother's house in this dangerous area," she said. "We cleaned it and removed five mines that were inside the rooms." The house is completely empty, its blue ceramic tiled floor bare and the walls unadorned except for black graffiti. Al-Sabahiya was one of the first neighbourhoods captured by the SDF, but it remains dangerous. "We don't let the children leave the house because we're afraid mines might explode underneath them," Anud said. The family's belongings are still stacked in the white lorry parked outside, ready in case they have to flee at a moment's notice. "We're living on the edge. We don't know how we will die," she sighed. "God protect us. May Raqa be liberated so that we can return to our homes in peace." As Anud gestured, her 11-year-old son Ahmed listened in silence. Ahmed stopped speaking after the trauma of seeing his home destroyed, his father wounded, and his neighbours displaced in fierce bombardment of his district. Outside, a pair of scrawny young boys pushed a wheelbarrow full of jerry cans to a nearby canal to draw some water. Much of Al-Sabahiya has been destroyed by fighting, and civilians desperately rummage through the rubble looking for salvageable items. It is Abu Ghanem's native neighbourhood, but the fighting in Raqa has displaced his family several times. "Back and forth, back and forth, sometimes we can go back to our houses, sometimes we go and sit in the open," the man in his sixties said. He said his family can't afford to leave the city and rent a home elsewhere. "Sometimes there's no bread, sometimes there's no flour, sometimes there's nothing to eat," he said. He sat cross-legged on a blue wicker mat inside his simple home, dragging on a cigarette as relatives lit a small camping stove to begin cooking. Air strikes and bombardment still regularly shake the walls of his house, whose glass windows had long since shattered. "In the middle of the night, the children wake up and ask for bread because they are hungry," Abu Ghanem said. "We're living on the front line in the middle of fear and terror." His wife, Umm Ghanem, would rather leave the area. "Should we stay here to die?" she asked angrily of her husband. "We don't know when a mine could explode. We're holding our lives in our hands." When Fatima Ahmed's family fled their home in the western Al-Romaniya district, they initially headed to a camp for the displaced, like thousands of other civilians from Raqa. But she said it was impossible to survive at the camp without money to buy basic necessities, so they headed back to Al-Sabahiya. "We're staying here, what can we do? We don't have the money to leave," she said, dressed in a black robe. Conditions in the camps for the displaced scattered across Raqa province are harsh, according to UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Food and clean water are difficult to access, displaced families struggle in the blistering heat, and even the most basic medicine is often unavailable. That leaves Raqa natives like Fatima torn between being unable to afford life in the camp and trying to keep their families safe. "There are a lot of mines here... We spend all day standing over the children like guards to make sure they don't get hurt," she said. "We don't have anything -- no water, no electricity. We take water from an irrigation canal nearby and it's dirty." The home they are squatting in is near a position held by an SDF unit, which sometimes provides them with bread, sugar, and other food to survive. Al-Sabahiya lies adjacent to their home district of Al-Romaniya, but in battle-torn Raqa, it feels worlds away. "We hope that the situation and the danger will end and we can go back to our homes because we're fed up with death and fear," she said.

Civilians brave dangers to wait out IS exit from Syria's Raqa

An international coalition pounded Raqa with air strikes Thursday, with a monitor saying at least 17 civilians had been killed in the bombardment as US-backed fighters pushed further into the Islamic State group&#39;s Syrian bastion.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said US-led coalition forces had hit the city and its suburbs with at least 25 strikes, warning that dozens had been injured and the death toll could rise.

One of the strikes hit an internet cafe in the western suburb of Jazra where most of the dead were found, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor.

The air strikes came after US-backed fighters with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battled deeper into Raqa, two days after finally entering following a months-long struggle to surround a city that has become synonymous with IS atrocities since its capture by the jihadists in 2014.

On Wednesday, an AFP journalist entered the city with SDF fighters and witnessed heavy clashes in the Al-Meshleb neighbourhood, with IS firing mortar rounds towards the advancing forces.

The SDF did not allow journalists to return to the city on Thursday where fighting was continuing.

&quot;Our troops are advancing in Al-Meshleb and control parts of it,&quot; said SDF spokesman Talal Sello.

&quot;The international coalition forces are working with us on the ground in the battle for Raqa in a highly effective manner,&quot; he told AFP.

On Wednesday, the US-led coalition said it had carried out 22 strikes near Raqa, hitting IS fighting positions and vehicles as well as a weapons cache and a training camp.

The Observatory said the SDF now controlled around two-thirds of Al-Meshleb and was some 400 metres (yards) from the neighbouring Al-Senaa district.

&quot;IS has snipers monitoring Al-Meshleb neighbourhood and has laid mines extensively throughout it,&quot; the monitor said.

US special forces

Fighting was also continuing on the western outskirts of the city, it added, saying US special forces were actively participating in battles on several fronts.

On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent saw coalition armoured vehicles parked among olive trees in the desert east of Raqa, covered with camouflage fabric.

Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said &quot;hundreds&quot; of US military personnel were taking part in the Raqa offensive. It was unclear how many were US special forces, and Pahon said the role of such troops remained unchanged.

&quot;They are still advising and assisting&quot; the SDF, he said, saying US troops were accompanying SDF units moving into the city but &quot;the SDF have the lead in the fight&quot;.

Pahon said up to 2,500 IS fighters were still holed up in Raqa.

Human Shields

SDF male and female commanders, dressed in fatigues and sporting colourful printed scarves wrapped around their heads, pored over maps on tablet devices to pinpoint targets.

Raqa has become infamous for IS atrocities including beheadings and public displays of dead bodies, and also emerged as a hub for planning attacks abroad.

An estimated 300,000 civilians were believed to have been living under IS rule in Raqa, including 80,000 displaced from other parts of Syria.

But thousands have fled in recent months, and the UN humanitarian office estimates about 160,000 people remain in the city.

Raqa is Being slaughtered Silently -- an anti-IS group -- has said conditions in the city are deteriorating, describing continuous bombardment and water and electricity outages.

Civilians who have escaped have described harrowing journeys and being targeted by IS as they fled.

The International Rescue Committee said this week it was &quot;deeply concerned for the safety of civilians in Raqa,&quot; noting a drop in the numbers leaving the city.

That decrease could indicate IS intends to use remaining civilians &quot;as human shields,&quot; the aid group said.

Civilians trapped in Raqa also face the risk of heavy coalition air strikes.

Pro-regime drone

The number of reported civilian casualties in the coalition&#39;s strikes has swelled as the SDF offensive has intensified.

Along with Mosul in Iraq, Raqa was one of the twin pivots of the self-styled Islamic &quot;caliphate&quot; that IS declared nearly three years ago.

Iraqi forces backed by the coalition are also battling IS in Mosul, where the jihadists are now confined to a few neighbourhoods.

The Syrian military has so far been absent from the battle for Raqa, though state news agency SANA said Thursday that the air force had targeted IS positions in the west of Raqa province.

The Observatory said these strikes were carried out by Syria&#39;s ally Russia.

Elsewhere on Thursday, US forces shot down a pro-regime drone in southern Syria after it fired at US-led coalition forces, said coalition spokesman Ryan Dillon.

No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred near the coalition&#39;s At-Tanaf garrison.

&quot;It was armed and still had weapons on it when it was fired upon by US forces from an aircraft,&quot; Dillon said.

(AFP)

Around 300,000 civilians were believed to have been living under IS rule in Raqa, infamous for IS atrocities

An international coalition pounded Raqa with air strikes Thursday, with a monitor saying at least 17 civilians had been killed in the bombardment as US-backed fighters pushed further into the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said US-led coalition forces had hit the city and its suburbs with at least 25 strikes, warning that dozens had been injured and the death toll could rise. One of the strikes hit an internet cafe in the western suburb of Jazra where most of the dead were found, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based monitor. The air strikes came after US-backed fighters with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battled deeper into Raqa, two days after finally entering following a months-long struggle to surround a city that has become synonymous with IS atrocities since its capture by the jihadists in 2014. On Wednesday, an AFP journalist entered the city with SDF fighters and witnessed heavy clashes in the Al-Meshleb neighbourhood, with IS firing mortar rounds towards the advancing forces. The SDF did not allow journalists to return to the city on Thursday where fighting was continuing. "Our troops are advancing in Al-Meshleb and control parts of it," said SDF spokesman Talal Sello. "The international coalition forces are working with us on the ground in the battle for Raqa in a highly effective manner," he told AFP. On Wednesday, the US-led coalition said it had carried out 22 strikes near Raqa, hitting IS fighting positions and vehicles as well as a weapons cache and a training camp. The Observatory said the SDF now controlled around two-thirds of Al-Meshleb and was some 400 metres (yards) from the neighbouring Al-Senaa district. "IS has snipers monitoring Al-Meshleb neighbourhood and has laid mines extensively throughout it," the monitor said. US special forces Fighting was also continuing on the western outskirts of the city, it added, saying US special forces were actively participating in battles on several fronts. On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent saw coalition armoured vehicles parked among olive trees in the desert east of Raqa, covered with camouflage fabric. Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said "hundreds" of US military personnel were taking part in the Raqa offensive. It was unclear how many were US special forces, and Pahon said the role of such troops remained unchanged. "They are still advising and assisting" the SDF, he said, saying US troops were accompanying SDF units moving into the city but "the SDF have the lead in the fight". Pahon said up to 2,500 IS fighters were still holed up in Raqa. Human Shields SDF male and female commanders, dressed in fatigues and sporting colourful printed scarves wrapped around their heads, pored over maps on tablet devices to pinpoint targets. Raqa has become infamous for IS atrocities including beheadings and public displays of dead bodies, and also emerged as a hub for planning attacks abroad. An estimated 300,000 civilians were believed to have been living under IS rule in Raqa, including 80,000 displaced from other parts of Syria. But thousands have fled in recent months, and the UN humanitarian office estimates about 160,000 people remain in the city. Raqa is Being slaughtered Silently -- an anti-IS group -- has said conditions in the city are deteriorating, describing continuous bombardment and water and electricity outages. Civilians who have escaped have described harrowing journeys and being targeted by IS as they fled. The International Rescue Committee said this week it was "deeply concerned for the safety of civilians in Raqa," noting a drop in the numbers leaving the city. That decrease could indicate IS intends to use remaining civilians "as human shields," the aid group said. Civilians trapped in Raqa also face the risk of heavy coalition air strikes. Pro-regime drone The number of reported civilian casualties in the coalition's strikes has swelled as the SDF offensive has intensified. Along with Mosul in Iraq, Raqa was one of the twin pivots of the self-styled Islamic "caliphate" that IS declared nearly three years ago. Iraqi forces backed by the coalition are also battling IS in Mosul, where the jihadists are now confined to a few neighbourhoods. The Syrian military has so far been absent from the battle for Raqa, though state news agency SANA said Thursday that the air force had targeted IS positions in the west of Raqa province. The Observatory said these strikes were carried out by Syria's ally Russia. Elsewhere on Thursday, US forces shot down a pro-regime drone in southern Syria after it fired at US-led coalition forces, said coalition spokesman Ryan Dillon. No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred near the coalition's At-Tanaf garrison. "It was armed and still had weapons on it when it was fired upon by US forces from an aircraft," Dillon said. (AFP)

US-led coalition strikes kill 17 civilians as battle for Raqa rages: Monitor

US-backed Syrian militias said they fully seized the town of&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;and Syria&#39;s largest dam from Islamic State on Wednesday, a major objective as they prepare to launch an assault on Raqqa city.&nbsp;

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have been battling the jihadist group for weeks in&nbsp;Tabqa, some 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa, along the Euphrates river.&nbsp;

With air strikes and special forces from the US-led coalition, the SDF are advancing on Raqqa, Islamic State&#39;s base of operations in Syria, to ultimately take the city.&nbsp;

They captured&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;&quot;thanks to the sacrifices of the SDF&#39;s heroes and with the full, unlimited support of the US-led international coalition&quot;, said SDF spokesman Talal Silo.&nbsp;

Nasser Haj Mansour, an adviser to the SDF, said the town and the adjacent&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;dam were now &quot;completely liberated&quot; after the SDF drove all Islamic State militants out.&nbsp;

The Raqqa campaign appeared to have stalled around&nbsp;Tabqa, where the SDF made only slow progress after besieging the town. They pushed into the town nearly two weeks ago, capturing most of its districts and encircling Islamic State in the dam.&nbsp;

The battle for&nbsp;Tabqa&nbsp;began after US&nbsp;forces helped SDF fighters conduct an airborne landing on the southern bank of the Euphrates in late March, allowing them to gain control of an important nearby airbase.

Despite fierce objections from NATO ally Turkey, the United States this week approved supplying arms to the powerful Kurdish YPG militia, a key component of the SDF and their campaign.

Ankara strongly opposes US&nbsp;support of the YPG, viewing it as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency inside Turkey.

The YPG has emerged as a valuable partner for the United States in the fight against Islamic State in northern Syria. Washington says arming the Syrian Kurdish forces is necessary to capture Raqqa, which Islamic State has used a hub for planning attacks abroad.

Raqqa now lies in an Islamic State enclave on the northern bank of the Euphrates, after the SDF has closed in on the city from the north, east and west in recent months.&nbsp;

Islamic State&#39;s only means of crossing to its main territory south of the river is by boat after air strikes knocked the area&#39;s bridges out of service.&nbsp;

The jihadist group still controls swathes of Syria&#39;s vast eastern deserts and most of Deir al-Zor province near the border with Iraq, but it has lost tracts of its territory over the past year.

(Reuters)

The Raqqa campaign appeared to have stalled around?Tabqa, where the SDF made only slow progress after besieging the town. They pushed into the town nearly two weeks ago, capturing most of its districts and encircling Islamic State in the dam.?

US-backed Syrian militias said they fully seized the town of Tabqa and Syria's largest dam from Islamic State on Wednesday, a major objective as they prepare to launch an assault on Raqqa city. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have been battling the jihadist group for weeks in Tabqa, some 40 km (25 miles) west of Raqqa, along the Euphrates river. With air strikes and special forces from the US-led coalition, the SDF are advancing on Raqqa, Islamic State's base of operations in Syria, to ultimately take the city. They captured Tabqa "thanks to the sacrifices of the SDF's heroes and with the full, unlimited support of the US-led international coalition", said SDF spokesman Talal Silo. Nasser Haj Mansour, an adviser to the SDF, said the town and the adjacent Tabqa dam were now "completely liberated" after the SDF drove all Islamic State militants out. The Raqqa campaign appeared to have stalled around Tabqa, where the SDF made only slow progress after besieging the town. They pushed into the town nearly two weeks ago, capturing most of its districts and encircling Islamic State in the dam. The battle for Tabqa began after US forces helped SDF fighters conduct an airborne landing on the southern bank of the Euphrates in late March, allowing them to gain control of an important nearby airbase. Despite fierce objections from NATO ally Turkey, the United States this week approved supplying arms to the powerful Kurdish YPG militia, a key component of the SDF and their campaign. Ankara strongly opposes US support of the YPG, viewing it as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency inside Turkey. The YPG has emerged as a valuable partner for the United States in the fight against Islamic State in northern Syria. Washington says arming the Syrian Kurdish forces is necessary to capture Raqqa, which Islamic State has used a hub for planning attacks abroad. Raqqa now lies in an Islamic State enclave on the northern bank of the Euphrates, after the SDF has closed in on the city from the north, east and west in recent months. Islamic State's only means of crossing to its main territory south of the river is by boat after air strikes knocked the area's bridges out of service. The jihadist group still controls swathes of Syria's vast eastern deserts and most of Deir al-Zor province near the border with Iraq, but it has lost tracts of its territory over the past year. (Reuters)

US-backed Syrian militias 'capture' Tabqa from Islamic State

A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters took full control Sunday of the Tabqa military airport in the country&#39;s north from the Islamic State group, a spokesman said.

The advance comes as the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance prepares for an assault on the jihadist group&#39;s de facto Syrian capital Raqa, some 55 kilometres (35 miles) east of Tabqa.

The SDF is seeking to effectively encircle Raqa city before attacking the stronghold.

&quot;The Syrian Democratic Forces have full control of Tabqa military airport and operations to clear and demine are under way in order to secure the airport fully,&quot; spokesman Talal Sello told AFP.

The SDF entered the airport earlier Sunday, with Sello saying the alliance&#39;s forces were engaged in fierce clashes with IS.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, which also confirmed the airport&#39;s capture, said the SDF fighters were backed by US-led coalition strikes.

US forces airlifted SDF fighters behind IS lines around Tabqa earlier this week in advance of the assault, which is also targeting the town of Tabqa and the nearby Tabqa dam, Syria&#39;s largest.

(AFP)

The advance comes as the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance prepares for an assault on the jihadist group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa

A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters took full control Sunday of the Tabqa military airport in the country's north from the Islamic State group, a spokesman said. The advance comes as the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance prepares for an assault on the jihadist group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa, some 55 kilometres (35 miles) east of Tabqa. The SDF is seeking to effectively encircle Raqa city before attacking the stronghold. "The Syrian Democratic Forces have full control of Tabqa military airport and operations to clear and demine are under way in order to secure the airport fully," spokesman Talal Sello told AFP. The SDF entered the airport earlier Sunday, with Sello saying the alliance's forces were engaged in fierce clashes with IS. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, which also confirmed the airport's capture, said the SDF fighters were backed by US-led coalition strikes. US forces airlifted SDF fighters behind IS lines around Tabqa earlier this week in advance of the assault, which is also targeting the town of Tabqa and the nearby Tabqa dam, Syria's largest. (AFP)

US-backed Syria force takes airport from Islamic State: Spokesman

The United States deployed additional troops to drive out Islamist State from their stronghold Raqa, Syria.

The US-led coalition announced they had deployed another 400 troops on the ground in Syria.

At the moment, the US have 500 troops fighting in Raqa, as Iraqi forces advanced on the IS group in west Mosul on Thursday.

US-led coalition spokesperson&nbsp;Colonel John Dorrian said the reinforcements &quot;are temporary forces&quot;, adding that the long-term strength would remain at 500.

The additional deployment comes as the US announced they&nbsp;would host a meeting of the 68 members of the coalition fighting IS on March 22.

The American military buildup comes amid calls by President Donald Trump for new plans to accelerate the pace of the war against the Sunni Muslim extremists.

IS jihadists are facing simultaneous offensives in northern Syria by government forces, Turkish-backed rebels, and a US-supported alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.

In the latest sign they are feeling the squeeze, their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was reported to have abandoned Mosul, leaving local commanders behind to fight the Iraqi forces.

&quot;He was in Mosul at some point before the offensive.... He left before we isolated Mosul and Tal Afar,&quot; a town to the west, said a US defence official.

&quot;He probably gave broad strategic guidance&nbsp;and has left it to battlefield commanders.&quot;

Baghdadi, who declared IS&#39;s cross-border &quot;caliphate&quot; at a Mosul mosque in 2014, in an audio message in November urged supporters to make a stand in the city rather than &quot;retreating in shame&quot;.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces launched an offensive to retake west of Mosul, after having regained the eastern part of the city last October.

In recent days Iraqi forces have retaken a series of neighbourhoods and a museum where IS militants filmed themselves destroying priceless artefacts.

Iraq&#39;s Joint Operations Command announced Thursday the elite Counter-Terrorism Service recaptured the Mualemeen neighbourhood in west Mosul.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The reinforcement means the US now have 900 of its troops on the ground in Syria

The United States deployed additional troops to drive out Islamist State from their stronghold Raqa, Syria. The US-led coalition announced they had deployed another 400 troops on the ground in Syria. At the moment, the US have 500 troops fighting in Raqa, as Iraqi forces advanced on the IS group in west Mosul on Thursday. US-led coalition spokesperson Colonel John Dorrian said the reinforcements "are temporary forces", adding that the long-term strength would remain at 500. The additional deployment comes as the US announced they would host a meeting of the 68 members of the coalition fighting IS on March 22. The American military buildup comes amid calls by President Donald Trump for new plans to accelerate the pace of the war against the Sunni Muslim extremists. IS jihadists are facing simultaneous offensives in northern Syria by government forces, Turkish-backed rebels, and a US-supported alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters. In the latest sign they are feeling the squeeze, their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was reported to have abandoned Mosul, leaving local commanders behind to fight the Iraqi forces. "He was in Mosul at some point before the offensive.... He left before we isolated Mosul and Tal Afar," a town to the west, said a US defence official. "He probably gave broad strategic guidance and has left it to battlefield commanders." Baghdadi, who declared IS's cross-border "caliphate" at a Mosul mosque in 2014, in an audio message in November urged supporters to make a stand in the city rather than "retreating in shame". Meanwhile, Iraqi forces launched an offensive to retake west of Mosul, after having regained the eastern part of the city last October. In recent days Iraqi forces have retaken a series of neighbourhoods and a museum where IS militants filmed themselves destroying priceless artefacts. Iraq's Joint Operations Command announced Thursday the elite Counter-Terrorism Service recaptured the Mualemeen neighbourhood in west Mosul. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US deploys 400 additional troops to oust IS from stronghold Raqa

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