Syrian rebels battling troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad overran al-Raqqa after days of fierce fighting, and were now in “near-total control” of the northern city, activists said.<\/p>\n
The fall of Raqqa, located on the Euphrates River, on Monday is a significant development in the two-year-old revolt against Assad. The rebels do not claim to hold any other provincial capitals.<\/p>\n
Residents in Raqqa destroyed a statue of late President Hafez al-Assad (Bashar’s father), according to amateur video footage distributed by activists.<\/p>\n
Rebel fighters said loyalist forces were still dug in at the provincial airport 60 km from the city and they remained a threat. A resident said that a Syrian military intelligence compound was not in rebel hands but was surrounded by anti-Assad fighters.<\/p>\n
“This is the first provincial capital in Syria where rebels have made such progress. They now have near-total control of Raqqa city, except for some regime positions, including the military security and Baath party headquarters,” Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP news agency.<\/p>\n