{"id":219757,"date":"2016-06-04T16:33:53","date_gmt":"2016-06-04T16:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=219757"},"modified":"2016-06-04T16:33:53","modified_gmt":"2016-06-04T16:33:53","slug":"syria-conflict-troops-cross-into-is-held-raqqa-province","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/06\/syria-conflict-troops-cross-into-is-held-raqqa-province\/","title":{"rendered":"Syria conflict: Troops ‘cross into IS-held Raqqa province’"},"content":{"rendered":"
Syrian troops have crossed into Raqqa province, nearing the capital of so-called Islamic State, activists say.<\/p>\n
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said heavy Russian air strikes had helped the offensive. There is no Syrian or Russian confirmation.<\/p>\n
A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters started a campaign in May to expel IS militants from land north of Raqqa.<\/p>\n
IS seized the city in 2013 from rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.<\/p>\n
The jihadist group quickly established its headquarters there and began imposing its vision of a state, implementing a strict interpretation of Islamic law.<\/p>\n
It proclaimed a “caliphate” in 2014.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Syrian Observatory said there had been clashes with IS militants on the Athria-Tabqa road as the Syrian troops moved from Hama province in the south-west.<\/p>\n
The Syrian military were trying to reach Lake Assad and the main road linking Raqqa to Aleppo.<\/p>\n