Syrian forces celebrate Raqqa victory with tank doughnuts
US-backed forces have regained control of the "capital" of Islamic State's self-styled caliphate after months of fighting.
Wednesday 18 October 2017 14:57, UK
US-backed Syrian forces have celebrated taking Raqqa from Islamic State by doing doughnuts in their army tank - the same way the militants had marked gaining control of the city three years ago.
After capturing the city in 2014, the jihadist group held a parade at Raqqa's al Naim roundabout, driving their military tanks in circles as they brandished their black and white flag.
But now, fighters from the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have raised their yellow flag in the city's traffic circle as they finally retook the spot, which has been renamed Hell Roundabout.
The spot is infamous as it is where IS would carry out public executions, spiking the severed heads of its opponents on the surrounding fence, and burn books during its reign.
The SDF, which is made up of mainly Kurdish fighters, took full control of Raqqa from IS on Tuesday after, ending the group's self-proclaimed caliphate and moving the militants out of their last holdouts in Raqqa's hospital, national stadium and Al-Naim.
:: Raqqa broken in every sense after Islamic State occupation
With his only hand, Hazem Kobane planted the yellow flag in the roundabout, saying: "This is the moment we were waiting for."
He had lost his left hand in the 2015 fight against IS in the northern Syrian town of Kobani.
"Hell Roundabout is now al Naim Roundabout again," the fighters cheered, against the backdrop of a city reduced to rubble.
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![Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by US special forces, celebrate at the frontline]()
Image: Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by US special forces, celebrate at the front line after the fall of Raqqa -
![Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces walk past the ruins of destroyed buildings near the National Hospital after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State militants]()
Image: Raqqa was taken from Islamic State militants after months of fighting -
![SDF fighters ride on an armoured vehicle after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State militants]()
Image: US-backed fighters have battled hundreds of IS jihadists holed up in the last pockets of the Syrian city since June -
![Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces look up at a camera drone]()
Image: Raqqa was the de-facto capital of the Islamic State's self-styled caliphate in Syria -
![SDF fighters take a selfie at the stadium after it was retaken from the Islamic State militants, in Raqqa]()
Image: SDF fighters take a selfie at the stadium after it was retaken from IS. Continue through for more pictures -
![An SDF fighter walks on a building near Raqqa's stadium as they clear the last positions on the frontline]()
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![A woman cries after she was rescued by fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces at the stadium]()
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![Rubble along a road in downtown Raqqa]()
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![SDF fighters evacuate a civilian from the stadium after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State militants]()
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![SDF fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa]()
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![Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces gesture the "V" sign at the frontline in Raqqa]()
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![Destroyed vehicles between houses in a residential district at the frontline in Raqqa]()
Image: qa
:: The rise and fall of IS in Raqqa
The SDF has been battling since June to take control of Raqqa, where the terror group would command military operations and foreign terror plots, including those in Europe.