Al-Baghdadi Asks for Help in Raqqa

Rasa - ISIL Chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called for his supporters' help against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)'s attacks in Raqqa.

News ID: 429524

Date: 08 May 2017 - 23:48

RNA - Local sources in Raqqa said that al-Baghdadi has also ordered his comrades to adopt more strict security measures and prevent tens of civilians from fleeing the city.

They added that the ISIL has seized 20 boats that were used to transfer the civilians on the Northern and Southern coasts of Euphrates river.

Also, the ISIL has stopped operations to transfer tens of civilian families from Raqqa to the SDF-controlled areas.

The sources said that the ISIL forces are now on alert in Raqqa.

Other reports from Deir Ezzur and Raqqa also said that the ISIL has in recent days recited al-Baghdadi's demand for help at the two cities' mosques, calling on Muslims in the ISIL-controlled areas to mobilize against the SDF attacks in Raqqa.

Latest reports from Raqqa said that the SDF continued their advances against ISIL and pushed them back from Watani hospital in the Western part of al-Tabaqa city in Northeastern Syria.

Firat news agency reported on Monday that the Kurdish fighters engaged in tough battle with ISIL and managed to capture Watani hospital in al-Tabaqa city, killing four terrorists, including one of their leaders, Abu Mohammad Al-Qahtani.

In the meantime, the Kurdish Hawar news reported that the SDF stormed ISIL's positons in different parts of al-Tabaqa city, killing up to 19 militants.

The agency specified that four snipers were among the ISIL militants killed in the clashes in al-Tabaqa neighborhoods of Hey Ewwel and Hey Salis.

The news agency noted that two SDF fighters were injured during the clashes.

Well-informed sources reported on Saturday that a sum of 76 ISIL terrorists were killed in clashes with the SDF in a village in Western Raqqa.

The sources said that the SDF continued their operation codenamed the Euphrates Rage to hit ISIL's positions in Raqqa province and managed to capture the village of Sahel al-Khashab after four-day-long clashes with ISIL East of Sweida al-Kabireh settlement.

The ISIL lost 76 members in the SDF attack, they added.

In the meantime, heavy fighting is underway between the SDF and the ISIL in the trinary neighborhoods of 1, 2 and 3 in al-Tabaqa city.

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