Video uploaded by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) shows fleeing villagers claiming ISIS used them as human shields.
U.S.-backed SDF fighters are part of the attack to liberate the city of Raqqa from ISIS forces.
SDF troops filmed Syrians fleeing across Tabqa Dam, trying to escape ISIS.
The fleeing people claimed that ISIS moved into areas with civilians, to hide among them from coalition airstrikes.
One man told SDF troops, “We came here looking for safety. We fled this morning.”
When asked why, he replied, “So we can be human shields for them. If there is an area with citizens, they target it, if it is empty, they leave.”
When those civilians fled, ISIS attacked them with mortars.
SDF and other coalition forces have been attacking the region around Raqqa for about a week,
Raqqa is one of the last ISIS strongholds in Syria.
Tabqa Dam is a major strategic objective in the region. Coalition troops paused their assault on Raqqa to seize the dam on Monday, March 27. On March 29, they cut the road from Raqqa to the village of Tabqa.
