Operation Featherweight: Month 39, Week 3, Day 4.

On November 6th 2016 (6/11/17) the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF/QSD) launched an operation to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The SDF are a coalition of Kurdish, Christian, Turkmen and Arab forces. The Arab element which makes up around 50% of the coalition is made up of both fragments of the long defunct Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Arab tribes indigenous to northern Syria.

The SDF is supported by the US-led coalition Combined Joint Task Force: Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTFOIR).

The city of Raqqa sits on the Euphrates River. It is located around 200km (120 miles) west of Syria's border with Iraq and around 100km (60 miles) south of Syria's border with Turkey. It has functioned as ISIL's de facto capital in Syria.

The first stage of the SDF's operation was to advance on Raqqa from three directions; North, West and East. This was completed on March 19th 2017 (19/3/17) with the SDF taking up positions at al-Karamah - around 30km (20 miles) south-east of Raqqa.

On March 22nd (22/3/17) the SDF launched an operation to liberate the town of Tabqa and the adjoining Tabqa Dam which forms Lake Assad out of the Euphrates River. This operation was completed on May 11th (11/5/17) giving the SDF control of positions on the southern banks of the Euphrates some 40km (25 miles) west of Raqqa.

On June 6th (6/6/17) the operation to liberate Raqqa itself was begun.

It would appear that ISIL's plan for the defence of Raqqa was based on the idea that the SDF would attack from the north. To guard against this they placed the bulk of their defences in the north of the city.

The idea being to protect what is considered to be their main headquarters in the city from the SDF's advance. ISIL main headquarters is believed to be an area in the centre of the city between the Old City district to the east and the an-Nadah district to the west.

It stretches across several districts including al-Baytra, Hanah, Amin and what is known as the Security Box. It is perhaps better defined by landmarks such as Harun al-Rashid Gardens, April 7th Park, the National Hospital and the football stadium.

In fact what the SDF did was attack in three directions; The North, The West and the East. At the same time the SDF swept west-to-east from Tabqa along the southern bank of the Euphrates in order to isolate Raqqa from the main body of Syria.

The northern axis' first task was to liberate the former Syrian military - Division 17 - base to the north of the city. This task was completed on or around August 1st (1/8/17). The northern axis then moved into a holding pattern.

The SDF's western axis entered the Raqqa via the Jazra suburb on June 6th (6/6/17).  By July 3rd (3/7/17) the western axis had succeeded in completely liberating the Sabahiya, Romaniyah, al-Qadisiyyah and al-Hattin districts and parts of the an-Nadah and al-Baryd districts. These all sit on the western outskirts of Raqqa.

The SDF's eastern axis began by entering the Mashlab district at the most south-easterly tip of Raqqa on June 6th (6/6/17). By June 17th (17/6/17) it had succeeded in liberating the Mashlab, al-Sinaa and Bitani districts. These all sit on the eastern outskirts of Raqqa.

On July 2nd (2/7/17) the eastern axis entered the Hisham Abdulmalik district at the very south of Raqqa on the banks of the Euphrates.

On July 17th (17/7/17) the western axis entered the Shahada district. This also sits at the very south of Raqqa directly adjacent to the Hisham Abdulmalik district.

On August 10th (10/8/17) the SDF were able to declare both the Hisham Abdulmalik and Shahada districts fully liberated. This linked the eastern and western axis liberating the south of Raqqa from ISIL.

Before entering the Hisham Abdulmalik district the SDF's eastern axis entered the al-Rawdah district on June 28th (28/6/17). This sits directly north-west of the Bitani district and directly north of the Old City district.

On September 2nd (2/9/17) the SDF's succeeded in fully liberating the Old City district.

While fighting in the Shahada district the SDF's western axis entered the an-Nadah district on June 28th (28/6/17).

This sits directly north of the Karim district, south of the al-Bayrd district and directly east of the Hattin district. Although not particularly wide the an-Nadah district is quite long stretching almost from the outskirts of Raqqa to the Hanah district at the centre.

On August 28th (28/8/17) the SDF's western axis pushed up from the Shahada district to liberate the Children's Hospital complex.

This sits on the junction between the Shahada and al-Moroor districts and the Security Box. It is one of the landmarks which make what is considered to be ISIL's main headquarters in Raqqa having long been used as a military base and command centre by the group.

Having liberated the Children's Hospital complex the western axis then advanced north across the al-Moroor district to where it meets the an-Nadah district. They have then advanced along the road separating the al-Moroor and an-Nadah districts to the liberated Karim district.

This allowed the SDF to divide the al-Moroor and Darayeh districts from the Amin district which is at the centred of what is believed to be ISIL's main headquarters in Raqqa. It also allowed them to divide the  al-Moroor and Darayeh districts from the an-Nadah district.

That represented a significant strategic victory for the SDF. It shifted the dynamic from ISIL trying to defend one relatively large area into forcing them to try and defend several smaller areas all cut off from one another.

On September 6th (6/9/17) the SDF's western axis liberated the Court House and Criminal Security complex.

This is another of the key landmarks within what is considered ISIL's main headquarters in Raqqa. It sits between where the an-Nadah and al-Moroor districts meet.

Having liberated the Court House complex the SDF continued to push north. On September 7th (7/9/17) they liberated the al-Tishah neighbourhood.

This is the most southerly neighbourhood within the an-Nadah district. It's liberation traps any remaining fighters within the district between twin SDF advances from the north and south.

With the ISIL positions in the al-Moroor and Darayeh districts having being cut off from the Amin and an-Nadah districts respectively they quickly collapsed.

The Darayeh district was fully liberated by the SDF on September 8th (8/9/17) while al-Moroor was fully liberated on September 10th (10/9/17).

Having liberated the Court House complex the SDF's western axis then began pressing east into what is considered ISIL's main headquarters in Raqqa on September 12th (12/9/17). This saw them enter the city block which has the April 7th Park at it's southern tip and the Children's Gardens at its north-easterly tip.

On Google Maps someone has registered a building within this city block as the business "ISIS Capital." While that isn't strictly speaking true once the SDF move through this block to liberate the Children's Gardens it will put them within one city block or roughly 200 metres/yards from linking up with the eastern axis in the liberated Mansur neighbourhood of the Old City district.

While the SDF's western axis was pushing east the SDF's eastern axis was pushing north from the Hisham Abdulmalik district into the al-Baytra district.

On September 12th (12/9/17) they liberated the Governate Building. They then proceeded to attempt to advance the 300-400 metres/yards or roughly one city block from the Governate Building to the Harun al-Rashid Gardens.

With their main headquarters being attacked from the south, east and west it became obvious to ISIL that their defensive plan had failed. This triggered a mass collapse in ISIL's defences on September 20th (20/9/17) as they withdrew forces from the northern neighbourhoods to reinforce the centre.

This collapse meant that in the space of a day the SDF's eastern axis were able to fully liberate the al-Rawdah district and the Ramilah district which sits to its north. They were also able to liberate the Grain Storage area which sits to the north of al-Thawrah district and east of the Railway Depot/Station directly adjacent to Ramilah district.

The speed of ISIL's collapse was such that not even the SDF's high command were able to keep track of exactly how fast and how far their forces were advancing on the ground.

Amid ISIL's collapse in the north-east of the city the SDF's eastern axis have continued their advance north from the Governate Building.

In quick succession they liberated the Harun al-Rashid Gardens and the Air Force Intelligence building directly to its north. By September 25th (25/9/17) they had advanced through the security area around the Council building to the Naem Roundabout.

Directly to the west of the area containing the Harun al-Rashid Gardens and the Air Force Intelligence building you have the area containing the April 7th Park, Children's Garden and the Harun al-Rashid school.

Directly to the west of the April 7th Park you have the National Hospital complex. This very large facility is one of the key landmarks marking what is considered to be ISIL's headquarters within Raqqa.

On September 11th (11/9/17) the SDF's western axis launched an operation to liberate the National Hospital complex. In my previous post I stated that the National Hospital complex had been liberated on September 13th (13/9/17).

This was based on an unconfirmed report. Other unconfirmed reports since then still place the National Hospital complex under ISIL control. As a result I too am interested to know the exact status of the National Hospital complex although it is clear that it is at the very least in dispute.

Based on the assumption that the National Hospital complex had been liberated I also stated that the area including the April 7th Park, Children's Garden and the Harun al-Rashid school had also been fully liberated. Since then reports have suggested that this area is only under the disputed control of the SDF.

On Sunday (1/10/17) night (local) a lone gunman opened fire from windows on the 32nd floor of a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, US on concert goers below. Despite being just one man armed with assault rifles modified to deliver close to fully automatic fire this gunman was able to saturate the area below him with gunfire killing 58 people and wounding 489 over the course of just 75 minutes.

The ability of just one relatively lightly armed person to cause this much carnage over a wide area is a persistent problem when fighting to liberate a city. One person in a commanding position can be the difference between a square kilometre (0.6milesq) of a city being declared fully liberated and remaining under disputed control.

Therefore I don't think any of the conflicting reports regarding the Harun al-Rashid school area are wrong. It is just a subjective matter that is open to different interpretation by different people at different times.

Despite the debate over the extent of the SDF's control of this area the eastern axis has succeeded in liberating the Children's Garden. On September 25th (25/9/17) they also liberated the al-Tawleed Hospital complex directly to the east of the Children's Gardens.

The al-Tawleed Hospital complex sits on the Naem Roundabout. It's liberation marks the unification of the SDF's western and eastern axis.

Having united the eastern and western axis' the SDF have pushed north into further into the an-Nadah district and the al-Wadah district that sits directly east of it.

On September 23rd (23/9/17) they liberated the Al Firdous Mosque. This sits directly across the road from the Children's Garden to the north-west.

On September 27th (27/9/17) the reached but have not yet fully liberated the football stadium. This large area sits directly across the road from the Children's Garden to the north-east.

On September 25th (25/9/17) they liberated the Imam Nawawi Mosque. This sits roughly in the centre of the an-Nadah district.

Forces from an-Nadah district and al-Wadah district are now attempting to converge on the Swan Garden. This sits directly to the west of the football stadium roughly 250 metres/yards north of the Children's Garden. On Tuesday (3/10/17) forces from an-Nadah reached the edge of the Swan Garden.

ISIL's collapse on September 20th (20/9/17) has also prompted the SDF's northern axis to end their holding pattern and advance south into the city.

By September 29th (29/9/17) the northern axis had succeeded in liberating the Ba'ath and Andalus districts. These sit between the Divison 17 base and Railway Station/Depot. They had also succeeded in liberating the Railway Station/Depot itself.

By Tuesday (3/10/17) they has succeeded in liberating the area between the Railway Station/Depot and the main road which runs between the Military Intelligence building in al-Wadah district and Train Square in Thawrah district.

The SDF's east-to-west sweep south of Raqqa achieved its primary objective of cutting Raqqa of from the main body of Syria on June 29th (29/6/17). On July 30th (30/7/17) it was forced to stop its advance after taking up positions just north of the town of Dalhah around 25km (15 miles) south-east of Raqqa.

What stopped the SDF's west-to-east advance was not ISIL but the Syrians themselves. Since May they have been advancing east from Aleppo City to liberate the north of the country from ISIL. On July 30th (30/7/17) they reached Dalhah.

At the same time the Syrians have been advancing to liberate the south of the country from ISIL. On June 9th (9/7/17) they reached al-Tanf on Syria's border with Iraq. From there they advanced to the city of Palmyra which sits almost directly in the centre of Syria and was liberated from ISIL by the Syrians in March 2017.

On August 6th (6/8/17) the Syrian advances from Dalhah and Palmyra converged on the town of as-Suknah. This sits around 130km (75 miles) south of Raqqa, 65km (40 miles) north-east of Palmyra.

From as-Suknah the Syrians objective was to reach the city of Deir-ez-Zour. This sits around 120km (70 miles) south-east of Raqqa and around 120km (70 miles) north-east of as-Suknah.

On September 9th (9/9/17) the Syrians reached Deir-ez-Zour city. This broke a three year siege which has seen Syrian forces completely surrounded by ISIL in two areas to the south-west and south-east of the city.

The Syrians advance on Deir-ez-Zour city saw the SDF launch a second operation on September 9th (9/9/17). Codenamed; "Cizre Storm" this was intended to see them advance on Deir-ez-Zour city from the north-west.

At around 17:25 on 5/10/17 (UK date) I will have to pick up the progress of that operation tomorrow.