Civilians rescued by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) tell about the desperation experienced by the people held hostage by ISIS amid SDF offensive against the so-called capital city of the Islamic State.
For almost three months, since the launch of the ‘Great Battle’ to take Raqqa, inhabitants are held hostage by ISIS gangs. The ISIS clerics issued a fatwa declaring that “escaping from ISIS is escaping from religion”, a crime which requires capital punishment under ISIS rule.
Civilians who escape from ISIS to SDF controlled areas risk death. As SDF forces tighten the siege around ISIS, civilians have limited opportunities to escape.
When the operation to liberate Raqqa first started, hundreds of civilians were rescued every day. But now ISIS groups are stuck in a few neighbourhoods and the number of civilians that are rescued in the last few days are limited to dozens.
We met with a group who were rescued by SDF. They hesitated to speak in front of the cameras. Some said if they talk ISIS will kill their relatives who remain in ISIS-controlled neighbourhoods in the city.
An elderly woman couldn’t control her tears. Her husband was killed after a mortar strike hit a group in front of Imam Alnewewi Mosque. They couldn’t take the body because of heavy clashes. She said her husband’s dead body still lays there.
"THEY BEHAVED US LIKE WE WERE NO HUMAN"
Abu Esaf is 55-years old. He and his family survived but almost all other relatives of his were killed. He doesn’t want us to take photos of him.
“I am very surprised. I had just gone out to check the situation. But I wasn’t expecting that we could leave the city centre that easy” he says.
When talking about ISIS, Esaf used the Arabic word “ewam”. Ewam means “stranger, someone other than us” in Arabic.
“They behaved us like we were no human. When they found food, they took it from us” Abu Esaf said.
Esaf also said civilians could not leave their homes amid clashes and the ISIS members pass through the houses via tunnels.
According to the latest information gathered from SDF frontlines in Raqqa only about 700 ISIS members remain in the city. But the number of civilians they hold hostage is predicted to be a few thousands.
SDF forces control 85 percent of Raqqa city. ISIS gangs are now trapped in a few neighbourhoods in central Raqqa.
