A U.S.-backed Syrian force says it has begun an offensive to capture the northern city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Talal Sillo, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told reporters Tuesday that operations have begun in co-ordination with the U.S.-led coalition. It says the families were fleeing the city in boats across the Euphrates River ahead of an expected all-out attack by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday that Ankara will retaliate immediately if the operation by U.S.-backed forces to capture Raqqa presents a threat to Turkey. Turkey has opposed arming the Kurdish YPG militia within the Syrian Democratic Forces as it views it as a terrorist group aligned with militants who have fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984.

Source: CBC News June 06, 2017 09:44 UTC