A Syrian Kurdish-led force that is fighting so-called Islamic State (IS) militants says it is on the verge of surrounding a wide area north of the militants' stronghold of Raqqa, Syria.
Cihan Ehmed, a spokeswoman for the U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), said on November 10 that the alliance of anti-IS fighters was advancing on two fronts north of Raqqa -- pushing from the towns of Ein Issa and Suluk north with support of U.S.-led coalition air strikes.
The SDF, which includes Kurdish, Arab, Syrian, and Turkmen fighters, says it has 30,000 soldiers committed to the offensive, which aims to eventually recapture Raqqa.
A force of Iraq government troops, Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen, and Shi'ite militia is also waging a major offensive aimed at recapturing the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from IS militants.
