On Syria fronts, US-backed forces probe Raqqa defenses

After a months-long campaign to cut supply routes into Raqqa, the U.S.-backed group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces have made swift progress in the past week since entering the city, the de facto capital of the Islamic State.

[...] the dominance of Syrian Kurdish fighters in the U.S.-allied ground forces has strained U.S. relations with NATO-ally Turkey, which sees any Kurdish military strength as a threat.

In an interview with Al Jazeera late Monday, a fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces said his unit was attempting to clear the area of mines and Islamic State snipers.

“The battle for Raqqa is not just about defeating ISIS, but also about protecting and assisting the civilians who have suffered under ISIS rule for three and a half years,” said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, using an acronym for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The U.N. refugee agency also warned of possible humanitarian crises in the Raqqa region and urged for more secure land routes to bring in supplies.