Syria conflict Kurds Join Hands with a SDF to launch campaign north of IS-held Raqqa

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declared Raqqa, the de facto capital of the “caliphate” by IS in 2014.

The SDF is believed to have deployed about 30,000 fighters.

A US-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters has begun a campaign to expel Islamic State (IS) militants from land north of Raqqa.

US-led coalition warplanes will support the offensive and Russia has also given its backing.

The alliance, which is dominated by the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) militia, has emerged as a key ally of the US-led coalition over the past two years, leading the fight against IS on the ground in northern Syria.

With the help of US airpower, it has taken control of about 26,000 sq km (10,000 sq miles) of territory, including a 400km (250 mile) stretch along the Turkish border.