DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — The Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) militants arrived in the Syrian Raqqa, presumably from Iraqi Mosul, following the beginning of the offensive there, local sources told Sputnik Monday.
Vehicles with Daesh militants that arrived from Iraq are concentrating in northern Raqqa, the city is now heavily fortified.
17 October 2016, 17:19 GMT
Earlier in the day, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from the Daesh militants.
According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation, backed by air strikes carried out by the US-led international coalition.
The city of Raqqa is the de facto IS capital and their major stronghold in Syria. It has been under control of the jihadists since August 2014.
