User:NightsideAEB/Raqqa offensive

The Raqqa offensive is an ongoing campaign by Syrian rebels to wrest control of Ar-Raqqah Governorate from Syrian president Bashar al Assad's forces during the Syrian civil war. Ar-Raqqa had been largely quiet during the conflict, but since the rebel offensive in July on the main cities of Damascus and Aleppo, the regime pulled a lot of its troops from the northern countryside in Aleppo and Hasakah governorates bordering Turkey and Raqqa, which presented a unique opportunity for rebel and Kurdish forces to consolidate their presence in the region. The rebels, having bogged down the regime in Aleppo proper and largely consolidated their presence in northern Aleppo, began advancing eastwards to Raqqa, which culminated with clashes in the main cities and towns of Raqqa, and rebel control over some, notably the border town and district capital of Tal Abyad. Eventually, fighting for the border town led to the deaths of five Turkish civilians on the Turkish side of the border, for which Turkey blamed the Syrian regime and passed a resolution in parliament that authorized several retaliatory artillery shells on regime targets.

Background
The Raqqa governorate remained relatively calm throughout the duration of the uprising. But this began to change in July when rebels stroke the hearts of the cities of Damascus and Aleppo, capturing several border towns and crossings afterwards. Subsequent battles allowed rebels to capture the towns of Jarabulus, and Manbij, and the Kurds the town of Ayn al-Arab. By September 19, the rebels had marched eastwards from northern Aleppo and captured the town of Tal Abyad bordering Turkey, bringing the first major battle to the province