Syria: UN asks for pause in Raqqa fighting to let civilians flee

The United Nations is leading calls for a break in the battle for the ISIL-held Syrian city of Raqqa so thousands of civilians flee safely.

The United Nations is leading calls for a break in the battle for Raqqa, the Syrian city held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, so thousands of civilians could leave safely.

There has been criticism of the growing number of civilians who have been killed as a result of the conflict between armed Syrian opposition groups and ISIL fighters.

Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan reports from UN headquarters in New York.