Syrian city of Tabqa, nearby dam 'completely liberated' from ISIS control

Syrian rebel in Tabqa.
(Image credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have retaken the Syrian city of Tabqa and the country's largest dam from the Islamic State, a spokesman for the group confirmed Wednesday. The group, mostly made up of Kurdish and Arab fighters, has been battling ISIS for weeks in the city, which is located about 25 miles west of Raqqa.

With both Tabqa and the dam, which provides power to a large area in Syria, "completely liberated," the SDF is one step closer to its ultimate goal of retaking Raqqa, the terrorist group's de facto capital. On Tuesday, President Trump approved a plan to arm Kurdish YPG fighters to help wrest Raqqa from ISIS control.

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