A+ A-

US, France announces plans to launch offensive against IS in Raqqah

(With POL-FRANCE-HOLLANDE-IS-BATTLE) PARIS, Oct 25 (KUNA) -- France and the US said Tuesday the global coalition fighting so-called Islamic State (IS) would launch a military offensive in Syrian city of Raqqah, to kick the terrorist group out of the country.
US and French Defense Ministers, Ashton Carter and Jean-Yves Le Drian respectively, told a joint news conference the coalition was ready to isolate and regain Raqqah in order to prevent IS militants from regrouping.
The offensive will happen in parallel with the assault on IS in the Iraqi city of Mosul.
Raqqah, IS's major stronghold in Syria, has a strategic location which allows fighters escaping fight in Mosul to regroup "to form a terrorist entity posing a bigger threat to the region," said Carter.
Carter said one of the options to regain Raqqah was by surrounding the city and then launch attacks against IS militants.
Le Drian underlined importance of regaining Raqqah as quick as possible.
The fighting in Raqqah and Mosul will be a strike against IS, and prevented the militants from moving to Libya or their original countries. (end) mmb.bs