IS fighters to leave Raqqa Saturday night, with human shields - local official

Smoke rises near the stadium where the Islamic State militants are holed up after an air strike by coalition forces at the frontline, in Raqqa, Syria October 12, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

BEIRUT (Reuters) - All Islamic State fighters left in Syria's Raqqa are expected to leave the city on Saturday night, taking civilians with them as human shields, a local official told Reuters.

Omar Alloush, a member of the Raqqa Civil Council, set up to run Raqqa after it is freed from IS, said the fighters would take with them 400 civilians being held at the city's National Hospital.

(Reporting by John Davison; Writing by Lisa Barrington)