Saudi Gazette report

Riyadh — Saudi Arabia expressed happiness over the liberation of the Syrian city of Raqa from the grip of Daesh terrorists.

In a statement issued on Friday night, an official source at the Foreign Ministry said the liberation of Raqa was an important step in the fight against terrorism.

The source expressed Kingdom’s hope that this step will be followed by many serious steps to clear Syria, Iraq and the region of terrorism and extremism.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also congratulate the Syrian people, the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian Arab Coalition, on the liberation of Raqa.

“The United States is proud to lead the 73-member Global Coalition that supported this effort, which has seen ISIS’s (Daesh) so-called caliphate crumble across Iraq and Syria. Our work is far from over but the liberation of Raqa is a critical milestone in the global fight against ISIS, and underscores the success of the ongoing international and Syrian effort to defeat these terrorists,” he said in a stayement.

“The Global Coalition will continue to draw on all elements of national power — military, intelligence, diplomacy, economic, law enforcement, and the strength of our communities — until all Syrians have been liberated from ISIS brutality and we can ensure that it can no longer export its terror around the world.

“The Coalition will continue its relentless campaign to deny ISIS safe haven anywhere in the world, and sever its ability to recruit, move foreign terrorist fighters, transfer funds, and spread false propaganda over the internet and social media. We are confident that we will prevail and defeat this brutal terrorist organization,” Tillerson added.

Syrian Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States declared victory over the Daesh group in its former “capital” of Raqa on Friday, declaring the northern Syrian city free of any extremist presence after a four-month battle that left it in ruins.

At a press conference held inside the city, the Syrian Democratic Forces as they are known formally handed over administration of the devastated northern city to a council made up of local officials and tribal leaders and a 3,000-strong US-trained police force tasked with governance and security.

In a highly symbolic move, the press conference was held inside the city’s sports stadium which Daesh militants had turned into an arms depot and a huge prison where they incarcerated and tortured their opponents.