3,250 killed in Raqqa battle, including 1,130 civilians: Monitor

The more than four-month-long battle for Raqqa, which US-backed forces declared over on Tuesday, has left at least 3,250 people dead, more than a third of them civilians, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 1,130 civilians were among those killed since the start of the operation in early June. Hundreds more were still missing and may have been buried alive in their homes by shelling, bombs and air strikes.

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ISIS leader al-Baghdadi probably still alive, says top US army commander

Islamic State (IS) group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appears to be still alive, a top US military commander has said, contradicting Russia's claims that it probably killed the top counter-terror target months ago.

"Do I believe he's alive? Yes," said Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who commands the coalition forces fighting IS in Iraq and Syria, referring to al-Baghdadi.

At first, Townsend said his belief stemmed from a lack of evidence he had seen "rumour or otherwise" that al-Baghdadi was dead. But, he then added: "There are also some indicators in intelligence channels that he's alive." Townsend did not elaborate on the intelligence.

Russian officials said in June there was a "high probability" that al-Baghdadi died in a Russian airstrike on the outskirts of Raqqa, Syria, a month earlier.

Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon from his headquarters in Baghdad yesterday, Townsend said the US and coalition forces are actively searching for al-Baghdadi. If they find him, they probably will kill him rather than capture him, he said.
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