Kampf gegen ISIS in Syrien: Raqqa im Visier – mit russisch-amerikanischer Kooperation

Im Kampf gegen die ISIS-Terrormilizen scheint sich eine neue Entwicklung rund um die Hauptstadt des selbsteernannten Islamischen Staates, um Raqqa in Syrien, anzubahnen. Kurdische Kämpfer der Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hätten mit US-Luftunterstützung einen Vorstoß auf die Stadt gestartet, berichtet die Washington Post. Nach Angaben des russischen Verteidigungsministers Sergej Lawrow sind die Streitkräfte Russlands bereit, für den Kampf um Raqqa ihre Luftschläge mit den USA zu koordinieren.

Aus der Washington Post:

A Kurdish-led force backed by U.S. airstrikes launched an offensive Tuesday seeking to capture territory around the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, in the first ground attack to directly challenge the Islamic State’s control of its self-proclaimed capital.
A few thousand Kurdish and Arab fighters — grouped under the umbrella of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — began moving south through the desert from the existing front line about 30 miles north of Raqqa, according to a statement from the SDF and the U.S. military.

The operation aims to secure control of a stretch of territory north of Raqqa, said U.S. military spokesman Col. Steve Warren, speaking by telephone from Baghdad.

Raqqa_OSM

Das russische Angebot zur Koordinierung der Luftschläge machte Lawrow laut TASS in der uzbekischen Hauptstadt Taschkent:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Russia is ready to coordinate efforts with US-led coalition and Kurdish forces in Syria to liberate Raqqa.
„I cannot say whether reports that such actions have already started are true, but we are ready for coordination – that I can confirm,“ Lavrov said on Tuesday commenting on the statement of a representative of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party that soon an active phase an offensive at Raqqa will start with participation of Kurds, the United States and Russia. (…)
According to the minister, Russia and the United States have agreed to switch over from information exchange to coordination of their anti-terrorism efforts, practical aspects of these issues are now being discussed by the two countries’ military.

Weiter dann nach Entwicklung, gerne in den Kommentaren.

(Karte: OpenStreetMap)