Syria’s Raqqa struggles to rebuild after years of ISIS rule

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The city of Raqqa symbolizes the tragic fate of Syria over the past 12 years. From the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, the northern city was a major target for rebel groups. It then became the stronghold of ISIS , Islamic State group terrorists, who made Raqqa the capital of their self-proclaimed caliphate. The city went through three years of hell – suffering atrocities, public hangings and slave auctions – before being bombed and then liberated in 2017 by an international US-led coalition. Since then, the “Pearl of the Euphrates” has struggled to get back on track.

Young people shown on the Euphrates River’s bank in al-Raqqa province – 24 July 2020 (Enab Baladi / Abdul Aziz Saleh)

In the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, inhabitants face a severe economic crisis and are subject to endless international sanctions. Six years after the city was liberated by the international coalition led by the US military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, essential infrastructure has been rebuilt and a semblance of normal life has returned.

But huge problems remain: fear of Islamist attacks and tensions between the Kurdish and Arab populations amid rising oil prices, water shortages and a food emergency. Some residents prefer to leave the city altogether.

We went to meet the people of Raqqa – including the poorest inhabitants – to understand how the future of this ancient, strategic city will play out.

YL/FRANCE24/ NEWS AGENCIES

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