Syrian rebels begin long-awaited assault on Raqqa, Isil's self-declared capital

"We will begin in a few days", said Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, spokeswoman for the SDF's "Wrath of the Euphrates" operation to capture Raqa, speaking yesterday.

Just last week, SDF forces received the first shipments of USA small arms, ammunition and vehicles to be used for an offensive on Raqqa, a move that has been opposed by Turkey, which sees the Kurdish group as an extension of a Turkish terrorist group known as the PKK.

Another wing of the attack was engaging the jihadis in Division 17, a military base north of the city.

TRT World's Alican Ayanlar has more.

Talal Sello, spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces made the long-awaited announcement that the battle for Raqqa itself had begun, saying, "We declare today the start of the great battle to liberate the city of Raqqa, the so-called capital of terrorism and terrorists".

Coalition warplanes have been bombing Raqqa intensively in preparation for the assault.

The SDF have spent months cornering Daesh in the city.

The U.S. -led coalition supports the SDF by providing equipment, training, intelligence and logistics support, airstrikes and battlefield advice.

"They are fighting street battles inside Raqa now, and we have experience in urban warfare", she said. Last week, they reached the northern and eastern gates of the city.

The SDF has been working to encircle Raqqa since November in an offensive backed by the US-led coalition that is also fighting ISIL in Iraq, where the group is on the brink of defeat in the city of Mosul. "It's hard to convince new recruits that ISIS is a winning cause when they just lost their twin "capitals" in both Iraq and Syria", he said.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım told reporters Saturday that "The Raqqa operation, planned earlier, was launched on the night of June 2".

The city is about 90km from the border with Turkey.

The U.S. has been arming Syrian Kurds ahead of the assault, over Turkey's objections.

Since November, the USA -backed troops have been attempting to isolate the city in preparation for the start of the operation to take control.

Humanitarian aid organization International Rescue Committee said 200,000 people were still trapped inside, and warned civilians in Raqqa risk being killed by Daesh snipers or mines if they try to flee but could be used by the militants as human shields if they remain. Once Raqqa is liberated, SDF officials said it will be turned over to a representative body of local civilians who will provide security and governance.

It also urged the "utmost care" to prevent civilian casualties after "a worrying number of civilians killed from coalition airstrikes across Raqa in recent months".

Pentagon sources say IS leaders have begun to flee Raqa.

According to the Britain-based Observatory, the latest coalition raid took place on Monday morning.