US general says we need to attack ISIS capital Raqqa now ‘to stop attacks in the West’
Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, America's top commander in Iraq, didn't state a specific threat but said it was vital that operations were undertaken to isolate the city
A US General has said coalition must take ISIS's capital Raqqa to prevent attacks on the West.
Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, America's top commander in Iraq, didn't state a specific threat but said it was vital that operations were undertaken to isolate the city.
He compared ISIS plotting in Raqqa to how they used to operate in Manjib, which was taken from the jihadi group in August.
Manjib was the last stop on the route to leave Syria for ISIS militants bound for Europe and terror planning was known to take place there.
But much of the plots were actually hatched in Raqqa before the maniacs made their way to the Turkish border.
Plotting in the jihadi hotbed right now is "not unlike what emanated from Manjib" according to Lt Gen. Townsend.
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He added: “Coming out of Manbij, we found links to individuals and plot streams to France, the United States, other European countries.
“We know that this is going on in Raqqa as well and so I think that’s why it’s necessary to get down there to Raqqa.”
He said that the "sense of urgency" over disrupting plots in the de facto ISIS capital suggested the question over whether Kurdish or Turkish forces would be involved in the offensive needed to be swept aside.
Lt Gen. Townsend made it clear that Peshmerga fighters would be part of the ground force that would take the city despite objections from the Turks.
He told Pentagon reporters: “We’re going to go with who can go, who’s willing to go soon and then, once we get the initial isolation in position, we’ll look at how we prosecute the operation further.”
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