ɐ fjˈuː mˈʌnθs bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə kˈæptʃɚɹ ʌv ɹˈækə, ðə sˈɪɹiən ɡˈʌvɚnmənt lˈɑːntʃt ðə sˈʌðɚn ɹˈækə əfˈɛnsɪv, wˌɪtʃ klˈɪɹd sˈʌðɚn ɹˈækə ænd sˈaʊθiːstɚn ɐlˈɛpoʊ fɹʌm ˈɪsəl mˈɪlɪtənts.
A few months before the capture of Raqqa, the Syrian government launched the Southern Raqqa offensive, which cleared southern Raqqa and southeastern Aleppo from ISIL militants.