US forces on ground in Syria aiding in key fight against Islamic State

US forces on the ground in northern Syria are helping a major offensive against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Raqqa province, Kurdish-Arab fighters battling the jihadists say.

Near the frontline north of the IS bastion of Raqqa city, an AFP photographer saw US soldiers climbing onto a low rooftop carrying US-made anti-tank missiles.

"These are US special operations forces and this is why you cannot follow them or take many pictures," said a fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces, which announced on Tuesday an assault on the jihadists north of Raqqa.

Leaning on a partially destroyed home in the village of Fatisah which was recently seized from IS, SDF field commander Hawkar Kobane told AFP that "US forces are taking part in this operation" alongside his own troops.

"On the rooftop of this house, there are US forces using (anti-tank) TOW missiles to fire on the explosives-rigged cars that Daesh is using to attack the SDF," he said, using an Arabic acronym for IS...
  [i24news.tv]
 26/5/16
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