▁that ▁such ▁cl ash es ▁had ▁ever ▁happened . ▁ ▁In ▁mid - Nov ember ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Li wa ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a ' s ▁political ▁b ureau , ▁which ▁has ▁strong ▁connections ▁with ▁Turkey , ▁condem ned ▁the ▁S DF ' s ▁Ra qq a ▁off ensive ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁Y PG . ▁This ▁caused ▁t ensions ▁between ▁the ▁group ' s ▁political ▁b ureau , ▁who ▁oppos es ▁the ▁Y PG , ▁and ▁the ▁overall ▁leader ▁and ▁military ▁commander ▁of ▁J ab hat ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a , ▁Ab u ▁Iss a , ▁who ▁is ▁al lied ▁with ▁the ▁Y PG . ▁Some ▁members ▁of ▁J ab hat ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a ▁left ▁the ▁group ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁S DF ' s ▁Li wa ▁A hr ar ▁al - R a qq a , ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁t ensions . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁second ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁al - R a qq a ▁campaign ▁was ▁announced , ▁with ▁J ab hat ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a ▁particip ating ▁under ▁the ▁S DF . ▁ 2 ▁weeks ▁later , ▁the ▁Ra qq a ▁Haw ks ▁Brigade ▁reported ly ▁captured ▁several ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a ▁military ▁command ers ▁and ▁forced ▁them ▁to ▁announ ce ▁their ▁defe ction . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁December