MESOP NEWS “LIBERATED RAQQA” – PART II

Regime: Criminals Occupy Raqqa, We Will Liberate It

The Assad regime has proclaimed that Raqqa city, fully taken from the Islamic State by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in early October, is occupied by criminals and will be liberated by pro-Assad forces.

The regime’s Foreign Ministry said the US-led coalition, which supports the SDF, is lying about its own “liberation” of Raqqa so it can cover up “crimes” in the capture. The Ministry claimed more than 90% the city in northern Syria has been destroyed by bombardment, forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee, and it accused the SDF — without evidence — of stealing humanitarian aid and torturing residents. The Ministry official said “Syria still considers Raqqa to be an occupied city, and it can only be considered liberated when the Syrian Arab Army enters it”.

Raqqa, the central position of ISIS in Syria since late 2013, was taken after a four-month offensive by the SDF. Hundreds of civilians were killed in the fighting, many of them slain by US airstrikes and shelling. www.mesop.de