ISIS declares state of emergency in capital
ISIS has declared a state of emergency in its capital of Raqqa, Syria, with media reports indicating the city is mobilizing to shield potential targets from airstrikes or ground attacks. The terrorist group appears to believe their capital will soon be under siege, according to those monitoring social media channels.
"We have seen this declaration of emergency in Raqqa, whatever that means," the spokesman for the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition, Col. Steve Warren, told reporters Friday.
Because of the sudden movement of personnel around Raqqa, overhead surveillance aircraft will likely have an improved chance of targeting fighters, who previously had been dug in throughout the city, CNN reports.
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"We know this enemy feels threatened, as they should," Warren said.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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