US-Led Coalition Welcomes Syrian Opposition, Kurdish Move to Liberate Raqqa

The US-led coalition against Daesh welcomed the statement of Kurdish forces confirming their relocation to the east of the Euphrates River.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US-led coalition against Daesh welcomes the announcement that Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have withdrawn from the city of Manbij to take part in the Raqqa operation, Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve said on Thursday.

"We welcome the statement published by the SDF command and the YPG command dated 11/16/2016 confirming the withdrawal of their forces to east of the Euphrates River to participate in Operation Wrath of Euphrates, the isolation of Raqqah," the task force said in a Facebook post.

On Wednesday, the YPG said its forces in Manbij had completed their mission of liberating the city from Daesh and would relocate east of the Euphrates River.

The fighters will participate in the Wrath of Euphrates operation to retake Raqqa from the entrenched Daesh militants, the YPG said.

In October, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Ankara would support the Free Syrian Army rebels in expelling the Kurds if they refused to leave Manbij. Turkey considers the YPG to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a designated terrorist group.