A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance pushed closer to Syria's Raqa and Iraqi forces seized a key town near Mosul as offensives advanced Monday against the two Islamic State group strongholds. After announcing the start of the long-awaited assault on Raqa on Sunday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance said it had moved south towards the city despite fierce jihadist resistance.
The US-led coalition that launched operations against IS two years ago is providing crucial backing to the offensives, with both air strikes and special forces advisers on the ground. Spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP that SDF forces had advanced on two fronts towards Raqa amid heavy fighting. Alliance forces had pushed at least 10 kilometres (six miles) south towards the city from the towns of Ain Issa and Suluk, she said.