Ahmed is in Martyr Jiyan Brigade. “We joined the Raqqa operation with my brother and sister,” says Ahmet, “We are here to save this people from gangs.”

The other brother has a qefiyyeh on his head and says his name is Xebat. Behind his knees is his Kalashnikov he holds with one hand. Xebat says he is in the Martyr Berxwedan brigade and adds: “I’m happy to be in the Raqqa operation with my brother and sister.” Xebat says they want to save the people from the tyranny of the gangs.

The woman sitting between her brothers has an interesting name: Dîvyanî. She is in the operation as a fighter in the Syrian Democratic Forces. Like her brothers, she also says “I am happy. We are part of the operation with my two brothers. I am glad we are together.”

Dîvyanî speaks of the cruelty of the gangs and says: “They are murdering women all the time. There is great cruelty against women.” The female fighter says this cruelty has no place in Islam and stresses that this “is an atrocity.” Dîvyanî starts her speech in Kurdish but switches to Arabic, and concludes with “serkeftin” - “we will prevail”.

The war has clearly marked the place. Walls are ridden with bullet holes and there are holes all around. Under such circumstances, brothers on the street are playing ball. They share the joy of being together. Sometimes they laugh, and others they slide into deep thought.

The operation to liberate Raqqa was launched on June 6. There are clashes in many fronts now. The fighters are advancing quickly, and are now at the gates of the old city. The brothers and sister are fighting shoulder to shoulder in this war.