Syrian troops have crossed into Raqqa province, nearing the capital of so-called Islamic State, activists say. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said heavy Russian air strikes had helped the offensive. There is no Syrian or Russian confirmation. A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters started a...
A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters has begun a campaign to expel Islamic State (IS) militants from land north of Raqqa. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is believed to have deployed about 30,000 fighters. US-led coalition warplanes will support the offensive and Russia has also given its backing. The SDF...