Two weeks ago, the SDF fighters launched an operation to liberate Raqqa dubbed the Great Battle. Five neighborhoods to the west and east of the city have been cleared up to date.

There are many fighters in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from Raqqa. Abû Hemade and his son are from the Rimêle neighborhood, still under gang blockade, and they joined the SDF two months ago. Abû Hemade managed to save his family from the gangs under intense duress three months ago and arrived in SDF territory.

Abû Hemade pointed to the pressure the gangs exert and said: “The gangs told us night and day that the forces coming here will kill us and loot our belongings. Many people believed this. To tell the truth, what we saw when we arrived is another world. It is a colorful world, we felt like leaving hell and entering heaven.”

SDF fighter Abû Hemade took his place in the position in Romaniyê neighborhood, where he said for the last year or so, the gangs were using prisoners to dig tunnels. Hemade stressed the pressure the gangs used and said: “The gangs take people prisoner for any and all reasons, and make them dig tunnels. But we promise we will clean the filth of the gangs off our city.”