Raqqa campaign (2016–2017)

Part of the Syrian Civil War,
the Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present), and
the American-led intervention in Syria

Top: A map of the SDF advances in the Raqqa Governorate;
Bottom: A map of the SDF advances inside of Raqqa city itself

Date	6 November 2016 – 20 October 2017 (11 months and 2 weeks)
Location	Raqqa Governorate and northern Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria 35°57′00″N 39°01′00″E / 35.9500°N 39.0167°E / 35.9500; 39.0167Coordinates: 35°57′00″N 39°01′00″E / 35.9500°N 39.0167°E / 35.9500; 39.0167
Result	Decisive SDF victory The SDF captures more than 236 villages, hamlets and strategic hills, two water and power stations, Tabqa Airbase,Tabqa city, Tabqa Dam, and Baath Dam The SDF comes within 5 km of the Islamic State's capital city of Raqqa, in early February 2017 The SDF enters Raqqa city on 6 June 2017, and completely captures it on 17 October 2017
Territorial changes	The SDF captures more than 7,400 square kilometres (2,900 sq mi) of territory from ISIL during the first, second and third phases of the campaign

Belligerents

Syrian Democratic Forces
Self Defence Forces (HXP)
Leftist/Anarchist volunteers
CJTF–OIR

Iraqi Kurdistan

Co-belligerents:

Syrian Arab Republic

Russia

ISIL

Commanders and leaders

Sipan Hemo
(YPG chief commander)
Rojda Felat
(leading YPJ commander)
Kino Gabriel
(MFS commander)
Fayad Ghanim
(Raqqa Hawks Brigade commander)
Abu Issa
(Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa chief commander)
Muhedi Jayila
(Elite Forces commander)
Bandar al-Humaydi
(Al-Sanadid Forces military chief commander)
Siyamend Welat
(HXP chief commander)
Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend
(CJTF–OIR chief commander)

For other anti-ISIL commanders, see order of battle

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (WIA)
(Leader of ISIL)
Abu Jandal al-Kuwaiti †
(leading ISIL commander for Raqqa defenses, c. 11–26 December)
Abu Saraqeb al-Maghribi
(Head of security in Al-Thawrah)
Abu Jandal al-Masri
(Chief of Information in Raqqa)
Abu Muhammad al-Jazrawi
(Chief of Al-Hisba secret police)
Mahmoud al-Isawi †
(ISIL propaganda chief)
Abd al-Basit al-Iraqi †
(ISIL commander of Middle East external networks)
Zainuri Kamaruddin †
(Katibah Nusantara commander)
Abu Luqman
(ISIL governor of Raqqa)

For other ISIL commanders, see order of battle

Units involved

See anti-ISIL forces order of battle

See ISIL order of battle

Strength

30,000–40,000 SDF fighters(70% Arab acc. to the SDF)

25,000 YPG & YPJ fighters
- 1,000 female Arab volunteers
1,000 Raqqa Hawks fighters
650–3,500 Elite Forces fighters
2,000 Al-Sanadid fighters
500 Deir Ezzor Military Council fighters
2,550 Manbij Military Council fighters
3,870 local pro-SDF tribes and village militia

500 HXP soldiers
900 American special forces, 1 artillery battery

Several Tupolev Tu-95 bombers

10,000–20,000+ fighters(estimate by Western SDF volunteers & some experts)

Raqqa city: c. 5,000 fighters
Large number of reinforcements from Mosul and al-Bab
- 200 Iraqi reinforcements
Unknown number of child soldiers

Unknown number of UAVs (drones)

Casualties and losses

1,100–1,200+ killed, 2,500+ wounded (per US)
793 killed, 1,685 wounded (per SDF)

1 killed

3,784+ killed and 38 captured (SDF claim; up to 31 Aug. 2017, excluding July 2017)

6,000 killed (US claim)

2,385 civilians killed
200,000 civilians displaced

Decisive SDF victory

Syrian Democratic Forces
Self Defence Forces (HXP)
Leftist/Anarchist volunteers
CJTF–OIR

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