Syrian forces finalize Raqqa takeover

U.S.-backed Syrian forces on Friday formally declared the northern Syrian city of Raqqa free of any extremist presence after a four-month battle to seize the town from Islamic State (ISIS). The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) handed the city over to local officials, including a 3,000-member police force, at a news conference inside the city’s stadium. ISIS used the stadium as its army depot and prison after it took control of the city in 2014. “Our victory is one against terrorism, and the liberation of Raqqa marks the latest chapter in the fight against terrorists in Syria,” said SDF commander and spokesman Talal Sillo. On Tuesday, SDF announced it had seized control of the town and was clearing out landmines and any remaining terrorists in hiding. The battle left the city in ruins. The United Nations and other aid organizations estimate that about 80 percent of the city is destroyed or uninhabitable.