UK defense minister hopes for Raqa offensive against ISIS in next few weeks

© Welayat Raqa/AFP/File -

Brussels (AFP) - British Defense Minister Michael Fallon on Wednesday said he hoped operations will begin shortly against the Islamic State stronghold of Raqa in eastern Syria as anti-ISIS forces close in on its Iraqi bastion of Mosul.

"We hope a similar operation will begin towards Raqa in the next few weeks," Fallon said as he arrived for a two-day NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.