ISIS used civilians as human shields to escape Raqqa – US-backed SDF

An Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL) group used civilians as human shields to evacuate from the Syrian city of Raqqa overnight, a spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) told Reuters on Sunday. The US-backed SDF are still trying to oust Islamists from the city, and some foreign fighters left under the so-called withdrawal deal. “The operation has finished and the battle continues,” the spokesman said. “Last night, the final batch of fighters [who agreed to leave] left the city.”