Kurdish and Arab youth who had had to leave town after the ISIS invasion now fight shoulder to shoulder to liberate their lands. The fighters spoke to the ANF about their thoughts and feelings on the first day of the operation.

Ahmet Hasan is a member of the Liva Tahrir Battalion. He is from Raqqa and he is an Arab. Ahmet Hasan will be fighting in the foremost front of the operation. He talks about his thoughts before he leaves: “With this operation, we will save all of our people who have been oppressed under ISIS tyranny in Raqqa. ISIS says they are Muslim, but they have nothing to do with Islam. I am calling on our people in Raqqa: Break away from ISIS gangs and come to us. Or stay apart from them. We are moving in to save the people.”

“THIS OPERATION IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL THE PEOPLES IN RAQQA”

Dilovan Raqqa is a Kurdish fighter. He grew up in Raqqa and had to leave after the invasion. Now he is a part of the Democratic Syrian Forces. Dilovan Raqqa speaks of the operation: “Our people in Raqqa are living under immense oppression. They can’t take the ISIS tyranny anymore. We know this, that is why we are launching this operation. To save all the Arab, Kurdish, Armenian, Turkmen people in Raqqa this operation is very important. This operation is important to save our people under ISIS tyranny, and for us Raqqans who have been living away from their lands for a long time. We ran from ISIS tyranny and took refuge in other lands, but now we want to live free in our own lands, in our own home.”