US provides armoured trucks to Syrian rebels for Raqqa fight

WASHINGTON – The U.S. military says it has provided a small number of armoured vehicles to Syrian fighters hoping to oust Islamic State militants from their self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa.

Air Force Col. John Dorrian says the Guardian armoured security vehicles will give the U.S.-backed Syrian Arab Coalition better protection from small arms fire and roadside bombs as coalition fighters close in on the city.

Syrian rebels have been moving toward Raqqa in a broader campaign to isolate and retake the city from IS. The coalition is part of the largely Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, which the U.S. considers to be the most effective force against the militant group.

Dorrian said Wednesday the SDF is building up defensive positions near Tabqa Dam, about 25 miles outside Raqqa.