Syria's SDF forces capture 80 pct of IS-held city of Tabqa

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured 80 percent of the city of Tabqa in northeastern Syria from the Islamic State (IS) group, a monitor group reported, and the SDF spokesman told Xinhua on Monday.

The SDF advance in Tabqa comes as part of the group's declared-offensive against the IS group in the northeastern province of Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF, a rebel group led by Kurdish fighters and backed by the U.S., captured most of Tabqa, in Raqqa countryside, except two neighborhoods, close to the Euphrates Dam, the largest dam in Syria.

Meanwhile, Talal Silo, the SDF military spokesman, told Xinhua that there are three neighborhoods under the IS control in the Thawra area in Tabqa, as well as the Euphrates Dam.

He added that the military operation will continue to strip IS from the three remaining neighborhoods and the dam.

For its part, the Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said that negotiations are underway for the evacuation of the remaining IS militants from Tabqa toward Raqqa city.

It added that the negotiations between local dignitaries from Tabqa and the SDF haven't reached any results yet.

The SDF led by the Kurdish fighters and the U.S. coalition has been fighting against IS in northern Syria for months, with the aim of stripping IS of its main stronghold in Raqqa.

The U.S. carried out several airdrops of forces on Kurdish-held areas to back the Kurdish groups in their battles against IS in Raqqa.

Two days ago, pictures of U.S. soldiers and vehicles were seen in the predominantly-Kurdish city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria.

The Syrian government repeatedly said that it deems the U.S as a force of occupation, as it entered Syria without coordination with the administration of President Bashar al-Assad. Endit