21 Photos
Photo Gallery
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
An armed man in uniform, identified by Syrian Democratic forces as US special operations forces, stands in the back of a pickup truck in the village of Fatisah in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa on May 25, 2016.
US-backed Syrian fighters and Iraqi forces pressed twin assaults against the Islamic State group, in two of the most important ground offensives yet against the jihadists.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in October 2015, announced on May 24 its push for IS territory north of Raqqa city, which is around 90 kilometres south of the Syrian-Turkish border and home to an estimated 300,000 people.
The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- largely considered the most effective independent anti-IS force on the ground in Syria -- but it also includes Arab Muslim and Christian fighters.
US-backed Syrian fighters and Iraqi forces pressed twin assaults against the Islamic State group, in two of the most important ground offensives yet against the jihadists.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in October 2015, announced on May 24 its push for IS territory north of Raqqa city, which is around 90 kilometres south of the Syrian-Turkish border and home to an estimated 300,000 people.
The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) -- largely considered the most effective independent anti-IS force on the ground in Syria -- but it also includes Arab Muslim and Christian fighters.
Photos: Delil Souleiman/AFP
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 1")
rojava_raqqa 1
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 2")
rojava_raqqa 2
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 3")
rojava_raqqa 3
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 4")
rojava_raqqa 4
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 5")
rojava_raqqa 5
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 6")
rojava_raqqa 6
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 7")
rojava_raqqa 7
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 8")
rojava_raqqa 8
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 9")
rojava_raqqa 9
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 10")
rojava_raqqa 10
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 11")
rojava_raqqa 11
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 12")
rojava_raqqa 12
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 13")
rojava_raqqa 13
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 14")
rojava_raqqa 14
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 15")
rojava_raqqa 15
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 16")
rojava_raqqa 16
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 17")
rojava_raqqa 17
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 18")
rojava_raqqa 18
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 19")
rojava_raqqa 19
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 20")
rojava_raqqa 20
.jpg "rojava_raqqa 21")
rojava_raqqa 21
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa
In pictures: US special forces join SDF in battle for north of Raqqa