October 15, 2017•Update: October 16, 2017
By Adham Kako and Levent Tok
RAQQAH/ANKARA
PKK/PYD terrorist group has seized control of Syria’s northern city of Raqqah, the de facto capital of Daesh, under a deal with the terrorist group, according to local sources.
After week-long negotiations, PKK/PYD and Daesh reached an agreement through local intermediaries under which local Daesh members left the city, the sources said on condition of anonymity due to security reasons.
The deal, however, did not include Daesh’s foreign fighters, who are still besieged inside the city, the sources said.
Daesh captured Raqqah in early 2014 and declared it the capital of its self-proclaimed caliphate.
In June, PKK/PYD launched an operation to recapture Raqqah from Daesh with the support of U.S. forces.
