Talks held on civilian exit

Talks for the safe exit of civilians trapped in Syria's Raqa were underway yesterday, as US-backed forces prepare a final push to recapture the city from the Islamic State group.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have taken around 90 percent of the city from IS since they broke into the city in June.

The US-backed militia has surrounded remaining IS fighters in just a handful of positions, but thousands of civilians are still in the city, some of them being used as human shields by the jihadists.

On Tuesday, the US-led coalition said officials from the Raqa Civil Council -- a provisional administration for the city set up by the SDF -- were trying to negotiate the safe passage of civilians from remaining IS-held areas.

"The Raqa Civil Council is leading discussions to determine the best way to enable civilians trapped by Daesh to exit the city, where some are being held as human shields by the terrorists," the coalition said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

"Those departing Raqa who are found to have fought for Daesh will be turned over to local authorities to face justice."

The RCC declined comment on the discussions.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the war, said the talks were focused on granting surrendering IS fighters and their families a way out of Raqa.

"The negotiations are for the exit of Daesh fighters and their families to Albu Kamal and eastern Deir Ezzor province," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Albu Kamal lies on the Syrian border with Iraq, and the town and adjacent areas in the east of Deir Ezzor province remain under IS control.

Deals to allow IS fighters to withdraw from territory have been negotiated in the past, including in May when a deal allowed several dozen jihadists to flee the town of Tabqa, west of Raqa.