A US-backed alliance has ousted ISIL jihadists from half of their Syrian bastion Raqqa, a monitor said, as the escalating fighting drove up the civilian death toll.
The Syrian Democratic Forces have been fighting for several months to capture the northern city, which has become infamous as the Syrian heart of ISIL's so-called "caliphate".
The SDF "are now in control of 50 per cent of Raqqa city despite the fierce resistance mounted by ISIL", Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP on Wednesday.
The SDF assault has been backed by air strikes, special forces advisers, equipment and weapons from the US-led coalition fighting ISIL in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.
On Wednesday, a barrage of US-led air strikes across the city left at least 29 civilians dead, the British-based observatory said.
"At least eight children are among the dead," Mr Abdel Rahman said.
The SDF's Arab and Kurdish fighters first entered Raqqa on June 6, seven months after launching their flagship offensive for the city — called Operation Wrath of the Euphrates.
They have since steadily advanced in a pincer-like motion, closing in on the city centre.
But ISIL has fought back using a slew of car bombs, suicide attacks, weaponised drones and with improvised explosive devices scattered across the city.
Tightening noose
The spokeswoman for the SDF's Raqqa operation told AFP that just under half the city was under SDF control.
"Forty-five per cent of Raqqa has been liberated. Our forces are advancing on all sides," Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said late Wednesday.
"The tighter the noose grows around Daesh [ISIL], the more strongly it reacts and the tougher it fights," Ms Ahmed said.
ISIL first seized Raqqa in early 2014, and the city has since become synonymous with the group's most gruesome atrocities.
The jihadists carried out public beheadings there and is also thought to have used Raqqa as a hub for planning attacks overseas.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the escalating violence in recent months, but the UN estimates that up to 50,000 people remain trapped inside the city.
Those who have managed to escape have told harrowing tales of dodging sniper fire and mines or paying smugglers to lead them out.
Once ISIL is ousted from Raqqa, a body called the Raqqa Civil Council is expected to run the city's administrative affairs.
But much of Raqqa's infrastructure has been devastated by years under jihadist rule and bombing by various parties in Syria, including the coalition.
Rising civilian toll
With Wednesday's deadly raids, at least 325 civilians, including 51 children, have died in the city since the SDF penetrated Raqqa less than two months ago, according to the observatory.
Another 467 ISIL jihadists and 219 SDF have also been killed in the fighting.
A deputy commander of the international coalition said on Sunday it would have "a great deal more" to do in Syria even after Raqqa is captured.
"Daesh is not defeated with the liberation of Raqqa. The defeat of Daesh was not completed with the liberation of Mosul" in Iraq, British Maj Gen Rupert Jones told reporters, using an Arab acronym for ISIL.
More than 330,000 people have lost their lives in Syria since the country's conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
The widespread popular demonstrations have since evolved into a complex war drawing in world powers on all sides.
On Wednesday, at least 14 civilians were killed when unidentified warplanes bombed territory east of the ISIL-held town of Mayadeen, the Britain-based observatory said.
Five children were among the dead.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Bangladesh tour of Pakistan
January 24 – First T20, Lahore
January 25 – Second T20, Lahore
January 27 – Third T20, Lahore
February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi
April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi
April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
