'Caliphate capital' Raqqa 'liberated' from Islamic States militants
The Syrian city of Raqqa has been liberated from Islamic State militants, a commander with US-backed Syrian forces has said.
The commander added that combing operations are under way to clear the city of land mines and extremist sleeper cells,.
Brigadier General Talal Sillo told The Associated Press today that there are no longer clashes going on in the city.
Brig Gen Sillo said a formal declaration will follow befitting "the fall of the capital of terrorism".
Dozens of militants who refused to surrender had made their last stand in the city's stadium, which had become notorious as a prison and dungeons for the group.
It was not immediately clear if the IS militants were still inside the stadium.
The city of Raqqa fell to the Islamic State group in 2014 and became the de facto capital of their self-styled caliphate.
