Kurdish Forces Launch Battle for ISIS Capital

Kurdish forces announced plans Sunday to retake the Islamic State's capital of Raqqa in an operation called "Euphrates Rage."

Raqqa, located just a few hundred miles away from the Euphrates River, is a major ISIS stronghold and commonly called the Islamic State's capital city. A coaltiion of Kurds and Arabs called the Syria Democratic Forces announced their campaign to retake the city in a news conference with troop leaders, but gave few details on how they plan to do it.

"We call on our heroic steadfast people in Raqqa and surrounding areas to stay away from enemy gatherings which will be a target for the liberating forces and the coalition forces, and to head to areas that will be liberated," said Cihan Ehmed, an SDF fighter reading the statement.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter welcomed the announcement, saying the operation is an "effort to isolate, and ultimately liberate" the city. Carter also said the battle will directly impacts the U.S. because it will "disrupt the group's ability to carry out terror attacks against  the United States, our allies, and our partners."

Coalition leaders also announced some 30,000 fighters will be on the ground and warned Turkey not to interfere with the operation.

Turkey's defense minister last week suggested that instead of the Kurds, Turkish-backed forces can present an "alternative." But Kurdish officials rejected any Turkish involvement, saying at the news conference "Raqqa will be free by its own sons."

Meanwhile, ISIS jihadists are already under attack by the U.S.-backed Iraqi forces in the eastern edges of Mosul, a city they've held since 2014.  The Iraqi forces started their operation on Oct. 17 and hope to win back the terrorist's last urban stronghold in the country.

Kurdish officials said the Raqqa and Mosul campaigns were not coordinated, but simply a mattaer of "good timing."