Syrian Kurdish YPG says Raqqa attack to start in early April
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS | Fri Mar 17, 2017 | 2:38pm EDT
Exclusive: Syrian Kurdish YPG says Raqqa attack to start in early April
By Tom Perry | BEIRUT
The head of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia said a U.S.-backed assault to drive Islamic State from its de-facto capital Raqqa would begin at the start of April and the YPG would be taking part, despite fierce opposition from neighboring Turkey.
A spokesman for the U.S. Pentagon said no decision had been made yet on the Raqqa offensive, which is part of a two pronged attempt to dismantle the caliphate declared by Islamic State in parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014.
U.S.-backed forces, including the YPG, are closing in on the city and President Donald Trump has said he wants to accelerate efforts to crush the hardline militants, who are under siege by U.S.-backed Iraqi forces in the much larger city of Mosul.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-ypg-exclusive-idUSKBN16O218