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On August 18, an IED, which had been planted by ISIS cells, struck a vehicle of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) at the street of al-Noor in the northeastern part of the city of Raqqa, according to the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq. The terrorist group claimed that four fighters of the SDF were killed and injured in the attack.
The pro-opposition blog Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently confirmed ISIS’ claims and revealed that the IED had been planted near the main mosque of al-Noor.
A day earlier, Amaq reported that an IED struck a vehicle of US-backed forces in the area of Kasarat in the southern Raqqa countryside killing three fighters of the SDF. Furthermore, ISIS cells assassinated a fighter of the SDF in the town of al-Mansoura in the western Raqqa countryside.
The SDF’s press center has not commented on the incident so far. However, security forces of the SDF will likely launch an operation in Raqqa in response to the attack.
During the last three months, ISIS cells in the governorate of Raqqa stepped up their operations against the SDF. So far, most of the attacks have been carried out with IEDs and suppressed guns. However, any success of these operations will likely encourage these cells to use more harmful methods.
