Key Facts
- Duration
- 6 June – 17 October 2017 (approx. 4.5 months)
- City destruction
- ~80% of Raqqa destroyed
- Displaced civilians
- ~270,000 of 300,000 pre-war residents fled
- Operation name
- The Great Battle (SDF designation)
- Campaign phase
- Fifth and final phase of Raqqa campaign (2016–2017)
Strategic Narrative Overview
The battle commenced on 6 June 2017, running concurrently with the final stages of the Battle of Mosul in Iraq. SDF ground forces advanced into the city supported by US-led coalition airstrikes, encountering fierce resistance in intense urban combat both above ground and through an extensive tunnel network used by ISIL militants. One US commander described the fighting as among the most intense urban combat since the Second World War.
01 / The Origins
Raqqa had served as the de facto capital of the Islamic State since 2014, making it a primary strategic target for coalition forces seeking to dismantle ISIL as a functioning state. The Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, launched the broader Raqqa campaign in 2016 as part of a coordinated effort to strip ISIL of its major urban strongholds across Iraq and Syria.
03 / The Outcome
The SDF fully captured Raqqa on 17 October 2017, ending ISIL's hold on its symbolic capital. The victory coincided with the lifting of the Siege of Deir ez-Zor and advances by the Syrian Arab Army along the Euphrates. The human and material cost was severe: roughly 270,000 civilians had fled, and approximately 80% of the city's infrastructure was destroyed.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.