'Toughest fighting yet' to oust IS from Syria's Raqa

The US-backed force fighting to oust the Islamic State group from its former Syrian stronghold Raqa said Monday it was waging its "toughest battles yet", as the city's capture neared. An alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, the Syrian Democratic Forces, broke into Raqa in June and is poised to seize the last 10 percent of the city after a weekend deal to evacuate civilians. "The Syrian Democratic Forces are currently waging their toughest battles yet," Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, spokeswoman for the operation to capture the city, told AFP.

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