The Syrian Army troops advanced towards East Raqqa under very good coverage of the Syrian air fleet.

In relevant developments in the province on Thursday, the Syrian army, backed by the Desert Hawks brigade, started full-scale military operations to drive back the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group from its de-facto capital of Raqqa.

According to field sources, the Syrian forces started the operations from Ithriya region which links Aleppo to Hama, a strategic area which separates the Syrian army and the ISIL's positions.

The army and its allies began the offensive by artillery attacks, supported by airstrikes, against the Eastern parts of Raqqa.

Field sources said that the operations were aimed at taking full control of Raqqa province concurrently with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)'s advance in the Northern borders of the province, FNA reported.

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