Kurdish and Yazidi Female Fighters Raise Flags Over Central Raqqa

Footage published on September 13 shows female soldiers with the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and the Sinjar Women’s Units (YJS) raised their flags over central Raqqa amid an ongoing US-backed offensive to retake the city from Islamic State.

The predominately Kurdish YPJ and the Yazidi YJS units are part of the Syrian Democratic Forces coalition that aims to retake Raqqa from the Islamic State.

Rojda Felat, an SDF and YPJ commander, told Hawar News on September 11 that 70 percent of Raqqa had been recaptured. The operation to retake Raqqa began June 6.

Syrian state media SANA said coalition airstrikes in Raqqa on September 13 killed 11 civilians. Credit: YPJ Media Center via Storyful