The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed up by the US-led coalition, have opened a gap in the ISIS defense in Old Raqqah and captured the Palace of the Maidens and the Abdul Malik School. An intense fighting is ongoing in the area. If the SDF is able to make significant progress in Old Raqqah, it will increase chances for liberation of Raqqah in the near future. The old part of the city is a key ISIS defense point.
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SDF broke through the last defensive line into the old city.
I suspect the fight will be brutal in those close quarters and one can only hope that there will not be too much civilian casualties. The advance in the quarter between the river and the old city is almost as important.
There will be a moment that the lines of IS will be overstretched. If at that time the SDF has enough drive left, they can take out a large part of IS within Raqqah. Till that time, given the example of Mosul, it will remain a hard fight.