MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The success of the operation to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from Daesh depends on the coordination of all forces fighting against terrorism, the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said Saturday.
"It is clear to any military specialist that the liberation of Raqqa will not be an easy walk for the international coalition. The real success and date of the completion of this operation will directly depend on the understanding and willingness to coordinate actions with all forces fighting against the international terrorism in Syria," Konashenkov said.
He added that that the optimistic view of French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Raqqa operation was based on "some kind of special national sources of inspiration, not related to reality and the situation on the ground."
Earlier this week, US and Syrian opposition forces were air-dropped to Syria's Raqqa province to conduct a joint operation to liberate several villages in the vicinity of Syria's northern Al Tabqah town from Daesh.
On Thursday, Syrian Democratic Forces spokesman Talal Selo said that the SDF units would need no more than 15 days to block Raqqa and start the liberation of the city.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which include Arab and Kurdish forces such as YPG, launched the Wrath of Euphrates operation to retake Raqqa, the so-called capital of Daesh, on November 5, 2016.