Civilians fleeing the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion of Raqa are paying smugglers to lead them out of the city safely, only to find themselves caught up in harrowing attacks.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled Raqa and the surrounding province since the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) began an offensive to capture the jihadist stronghold last year.
ButRead more
An international coalition pounded Raqa with air strikes Thursday, with a monitor saying at least 17 civilians had been killed in the bombardment as US-backed fighters pushed further into the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said US-led coalition forces had hit the city and its suburbs with at least 25 strikes, warning that dozensRead more