ISIS uses drones to drop bombs on coalition forces in Raqqa, according to Christian militia

Christian forces battling against the Islamic State in the Syrian city of Raqqa have reported that while a significant number of terrorists have already fled from the city, the remaining militants are now turning to drones to drop bombs on coalition forces.

The Syriac Military Council (MFS) has stated that the remaining militants have resorted to "dirty tactics" in its efforts to maintain its control on Raqqa.

"ISIS has been defeated so far inside the city, hundreds maybe thousands of fighters maybe escaped during the first stages of the operation and just before the siege of the city from all sides," MFS spokesman Kino Gabriel said in a video message on Tuesday, according to PJ Media.

"Those who are left, maybe they will be in the thousands, and they are fighting very hard against our forces, mostly using, let's say, dirty tactics including dropping bombs from drones, snipers, VBIEDS [car bombs], and are using tunnels that have been built under the city to infiltrate our forces. So far, our forces have been able to do the task and stop any attacks from Daesh," he added.

The MFS, which consists of Assyrian men and women fighting alongside Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and other ethnic groups under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), also warned that the Turkish government and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are blocking the SDF's efforts to fight against ISIS.

Gabriel said that the participation of the MFS in liberating Raqqa is important "in order to revenge the persecution that Syriac Christians have taken, to revenge the persecution that we see and that people have been living under since 2013 and 2014."

He said that many civilians are still trapped in Raqqa who are living alongside a few Christian families whose status is "currently unknown," adding that the MFS is "taking different measures" to rescue the civilians as the operation against ISIS continues.

The spokesman also emphasized the role of the Bethnahrin Women's Protection Forces, which comprises the women of the MFS, who have participated in the operation in its early stages.

Gabriel said that the goal is to "completely liberate the city" from ISIS and allow the civilian administration to take control.

Raqqa was seized by ISIS in January 2014, the first of the group's captures in its expansion across the Iraqi–Syrian border three years ago.

Earlier this year, ISIS released a lengthy video detailing the terror group's weaponized drone program. The militants have also used drones in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, but the Iraqi military had also done the same to the terrorists, dropping munitions on their positions using unmanned aircraft.

Last month, the Pentagon expressed plans to send greater anti-drone resources into Syria as the operation in Raqqa continues.

More than half of the old city of Raqqa is now under the control of militias backed by the U.S., but the battle is causing a rising toll of casualties, including from allied air raids in support of ground troops.

About 190,000 residents have fled the fighting, but the U.N. has estimated that 30,000–50,000 civilians remain trapped in the city.