Ruhenda Amed

RAQQA - In the operation to liberate Raqqa, which has entered in its 128th day, the first rain that left behind the intense heat of the sun and the dust of the desert refreshes the lands becoming barren and becomes a breath for the fighters and the smile on their faces. “These people rot in the black burqas in summer and winter,” said the YPJ member Ruken and she emphasized the people's determination in the operation to liberate Raqqa.

The operation to liberate Raqqa, which has entered in its 128 day, has continued in the streets and neighborhoods. Intense clashes between occupying Daesh gangs and the Syrian Democratic Forces, which has taken 85% of Raqqa under their control, are going on.

While the rain yesterday fell on the hot weather in Raqqa and the lands becoming barren, hundreds of civilians have been rescued by the SDF fighters and taken to safe areas.  Each civilian has been taken out from the areas under control of Daesh in the line between life and death and SDF, YPJ and YPG fighters have provided security for civilians night and day.

Half of Raqqa, northern of Syria, is surrounded by desert. While no one go out in Raqqa, where the temperatures is near 50 degrees in the day, the SDF fighters start off to take the city from darkness of Daesh to light. The heat of sun and dust of desert come together and it makes impossible to take a step but the will on the path of liberation manifests itself despite everything.

After the rain yesterday, the fighters smiled and said, “Today is the end of the mosquitos”. While we were talking to an YPJ fighter named Ruken, she said, “This rain is like a present to us while we are approaching the finals in Raqqa.

A breath from black burqas to freedom

“We fought on the hottest days for four months. Each rescued civilian hadn’t gone out without wearing a black burqa. Today, we had talked about the temperature in Raqqa. These people rot in the black burqas in summer and winter. If the people still have determination and a desire to live despite everything, we are obliged to make them breath.”