A US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces sniper, lies on the ground as he checks his sniper rifles, on the front line, in Raqqa city, northeast Syria on July 27. Photo: IC

Washington - The US Central Command said Tuesday that the American-backed militia group Syrian Democratic Forces has recaptured more than 90 percent of Raqqa.

Colonel Ryan S. Dillon, spokesman for the US military in Baghdad, told reporters that Raqqa was on the verge of being liberated, but that the Islamic State group still controlled pockets in the city.

Syrian Democratic Forces officers claim they have full control over the city and have ended their military operation.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said once Raqqa is completely liberated, the US and its coalition partners will focus on helping to remove dangers posed by unexploded bombs in the area.

"We will be doing the same type of things that the US and coalition partners did in Mosul," she said.

Last week, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that ISIS is "close to being crushed." He also cautioned against assuming an easy end game, likening the problem to squeezing a tightly packed snowball.

A source told the Washington Post that the absence of a clear US policy for northeastern Syria risks undermining the gains.

"No one trusts the Americans, not even the Kurds, to defeat extremism. After destroying areas through the necessity of war, you have to deal with the consequences, not just drop bombs and leave because you have an aversion to war," the unnamed source said.