US-backed SDF militia vows to ‘accelerate campaign’ in eastern Syria

The campaign against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in eastern Syria will accelerate now that the jihadist group has been defeated in its former capital Raqqa, Reuters quoted a spokesman for US-allied Syrian militias as saying on Wednesday. The previous day, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the defeat of IS in Raqqa. They are planning to redeploy fighters from the city to frontlines with IS in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor, Talal Silo said.