RAQQA, SYRIA
A Syrian fighter walks through debris near the eastern front lines on September 25. Backed by U.S. special forces, a coalition known as the Syrian Democratic Forces is close to ousting militants loyal to the Islamic State group from the crumbling city. The ISIS jihadis are using hostages, snipers and booby traps to slow their adversaries. As one Syrian rebel commander told Reuters: “Right now, there’s no advancing.”