SYRIA-CONFLICT-RAQA

A fighter from the Syriac Military Council (SMC), Christian fighters supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces in the combat against Islamic State (IS) fighters, holds a machine gun in western Raqa on July 17, 2017. The US-backed coalition has captured around 30 percent of Raqa city since it entered the IS bastion in June after a months-long operation to capture territory in the surrounding province. The ground assault is being carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a majority Kurdish and Arab alliance, but dozens of Christians from the Syriac sect have also joined the fight. / AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images)