Syrian army crosses into IS-held Raqqa province

Syrian troops have reportedly crossed the boundary of the Raqqa province, after advancing in a major Russian-backed offensive against the so-called Islamic State.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that heavy Russian air strikes had hit IS-held territory in eastern areas of Hama province, near the boundary of Raqqa, on Friday to facilitate the Syrian army’s advance.

“Regime troops backed by Russian air strikes and Russian-trained militia entered Raqqa province on Saturday morning,” the SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman told the AFP news agency.

He said that there had been clashes with IS militants on the Athria-Tabqa road as the Syrian troops moved from Hama province in the south-west.

The military were trying to reach Lake Assad and the main road linking Raqqa to Aleppo.

It was the first time that Syrian government troops had entered Raqqa province since they were ousted by IS fighters in August 2014. The jihadist group quickly established its headquarters there and began imposing its vision of a state, implementing a strict interpretation of Islamic law.

US officials estimate that about 3,000 to 5,000 IS fighters are inside Raqqa.

To the north of Raqqa, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reportedly deployed about 30,000 fighters as they try to force IS out of the city.

Russia has promised to co-ordinate with the SDF and the US on the offensive.

The SDF alliance, which is dominated by the Kurdish Popular Protection Units 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.