THIS is the face of liberation.

A woman rescued from Islamic State terrorists in the besieged city of Raqqa has torn off her black burqa in a fierce symbol of freedom and feminism.

Less than 10 per cent of the city remains under the terror group’s rule — which was captured in 2014 — and a coalition of forces, including the United States, say Islamic State faces imminent defeat in the de facto IS capital, known as the “capital of darkness”.

According to Reuters, IS used Raqqa as a base to plan attacks against the West.

Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State, known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, uploaded the footage of the unidentified woman to YouTube on Sunday, where she rips off her burqa to reveal a leopard print shawl — a piece of clothing which would have been banned under Islamic State rule.

ISIS made the black garments mandatory for all women living inside the Islamic State caliphate. Special Islamic State police forces known as ‘Hisbah’ used to monitor its residents to ensure there was no hint of defiance.

“Moments after she was rescued from ISIS, a woman from Raqqa city thus showed her extreme happiness,” a caption on the video reads as the dishevelled woman throws her hands in the air and hugs soldiers.

Despite the many faces of the devastating regime, this is one of the world’s first glimpses of a “civilian evacuation” as it has been described by the US-led coalition. The agreement came as forces and IS fighters came to terms with a surrender by the city’s last remaining terrorists.

The footage is just a glimpse inside of one of the last bastions of Islamic State — and the YPG are sharing every moment.

“When those who have been rescued start talking to you, they speak of ISIS torturing them. That ISIS did not let them leave the city,” YPG commander Rojda Felat said.

“The civilians’ situation is dire.”

It comes as a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces, Talal Silo, said the foreign fighters in the city would be left behind “to surrender or die”

News.com.au understands the woman was rescued by Kurdish forces who were held as human shields by Islamic State. At least 400 were civilians were used by the group in an attempt to escape the city.

She is seen entering in the city before she rips off her burqa, as forces herd civilians to safety.

She kisses the ground, and displays a peace sign while she jumps in the air.

Groups of women wearing all black are seen with children as they make their escape. Some men are in wheelchairs. Others on crutches. Some kiss the ground.

In the devastating scenes, the city in the background is a pile of rubble.

More than 270 Islamic State terrorists, which the forces call “local mercenaries” have surrendered with their families, but the final few are fanatical foreign terrorists who refuse to surrender until the final bullet is shot. With dwindling ammunition and stocks, they face a morbid fate in what is expected to be a battle of only a few days.

The aim of the surrender was to “save innocent lives and allow Syrian Democratic Forces and the coalition to focus on defeating Daesh terrorists in Raqqa with less risk of civilian casualties”, according to officials who spoke with Reuters.

A fighter from the Women’s Defense Units said “seeing the civilians’ liberation is the best feeling you can have here”.

Footage of the surrendered Islamic State fighters show a group of men clearly ravaged by war. According to sources the men were transferred to prison in the nearby town of Tabqa where they await interrogation and trial.

A statement from tribal leaders from Raqqa said only “a small number” of foreign fighters were left in “one or more positions in the city, who have no choice but surrender or death”.

In the past couple of days, more than one thousand residents have ben rescued.

Share your story - youngma@news.com.au