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http://ijr.com/2017/10/1002011-syrian-democratic-forces-announce-historic-victory-isis-raqqa/

Syrian Democratic Forces Announce 'Historic Victory' Over ISIS in Raqqa

Sam Dorman

30 minutes ago

On Friday, United States-backed forces in Syria announced that ISIS suffered a “brutal” loss in the city of Raqqa which enjoyed “total liberation” after more than three years under terrorist rule.

Talal Silo, the spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said at a ceremony on Friday that civilian leaders would control the city as the SDF defended it from future attacks. “The future of Raqqa will be decided by its people,” Silo said, according to CNN.

In statements released on Friday, both the State Department and Operation Inherent Resolve, a coalition established by the Defense Department to defeat ISIS, applauded the SDFs victory:

Operation Inherent Resolve releases statement saying US-backed Syrian force have declared victory over ISIS in Raqqa *****AcWPTxqFn0pic.twitter.com/ruTBLvxnJX

— ABC News (@ABC) October 20, 2017

JUST IN: Sec. of State Tillerson: “We congratulate the Syrian people and the Syrian Democratic Forces...on the liberation of Raqqa.” pic.twitter.com/6X5eBHiZMv

— ABC News (@ABC) October 20, 2017

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that while the battle against ISIS wasn't over, SDF's victory marked the beginning of a “new phase” in the Syrian conflict. Trump, Tillerson said, deserved credit for ISIS's defeat in the city.

“In January, ISIS was actively plotting terrorist attacks against our allies and our homeland in Raqqa. Nine short months later, it is out of ISIS's control due to critical decisions President Trump made to accelerate the campaigns,” Tillerson said.

Tillerson's comments appeared to mirror what President Donald Trump said just days earlier regarding his attempts to defeat ISIS. Just after the SDF said on Tuesday Raqqa was free of armed clashes, Trump indicated he was responsible for ISIS's continuing defeat in the region.

When asked by radio host Chris Plante why the U.S. recently saw ISIS “giving up,” as Trump phrased it, Trump, according to Politico, attributed their defeat to him being president. “Because you didn’t have Trump as your president. I mean, it was a big difference. I mean, there’s a big, big difference if you look at the military now,” Trump said.

“I totally changed rules of engagement. I totally changed our military. I totally changed the attitudes of the military and they have done a fantastic job,” Trump also said.