City that stayed for years in drakness .... returned to light

HAMAD AL_MUSTAFA / AL_RAQQA 

After liberating al-Raqqa  city from grip of IS gangs by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) entire city on October 17, 2017, al-Raqqa  people were allowed to return to their homes and to the neighborhoods that had been cleared of mines and earth mounds. Then the sun of freedom rose to al-Raqqa after a total darkness of four years.

Today, the people are wiping the dust of war and the effects of destruction and devastation on the beautiful city of their city, which was dissolved as a result of fierce fighting with IS gangs .

All the messes of war and the living conditions suffered by the people at that time did not discourage them and did not stand in their way to return once again with great hopes to restore the pulse of life to all the joints of their city.

 This is cleaning his house of dirt and rest of the restoration of his shop and another block (divorce) as he called IS gangs which is the openings inside the buildings and shops from whichIS gangs  are afraid of aircraft.

But after returning home was the smile on the lips is the title of that return was not before this day in al-Raqqa you see only darkness and the dark black color sinking in the desolation and misery.

As we wandered through the neighborhoods and alleys of al-Raqqa city , we noticed the activity of the people as they began to renovate their homes and provide them with essential necessities such as drinking water and food.

Some grow wild bushes whose garden withered to blossom again, especially with the spring break these days.

The repair of shop doors is the first opening of a new page with the life of al-Raqqa people a clear expression of reconciliation with reality.

The people return to their homes in the form of batches; because some of them were far away, they did not return with the rest of their people and their neighbors to share them in the joy of the side, because man finds life for pleasure only with his friends and relatives and the environment in which he was raised and lived.

The children returned to play between the lanes and alleyways of the neighborhoods, bringing joy to their hands from the games and imagining beautiful memories to remind them of their childish lives. We see a man carrying his hand in his hand to play in front of his house and a girl standing in front of the door of the house looking at the marchers in the street to smile for them.

Mothers carry small pots to bring water from the tanks provided by al-Raqqa Civil Council through mobile tanks until the repair of drinking water lines.

The streets are crowded with older women, they wear folklore and their children carry loads of clothes or supplies on their heads. The joy of return and the optimism of life fills their hearts with joy and joy.

We saw roadstands from vendors of smoke cigarettes and containers containing fuel on the sidewalks. Those who work in self-employment return to their work in damaged homes.

"I was flat, today I went back to my restaurant, picked up a picture of me to show on television," one of the customers said to the restaurant owner. To God today life has returned to this city, and we are no longer afraid of anything . "

We saw roadstands from vendors of smoke cigarettes and containers containing fuel on the sidewalks. Those who work in self-employment return to their work in damaged homes.

"I was flat, today I went back to my restaurant, picked up a picture of me to show on television," one of the customers said to the restaurant owner. To God today life has returned to this city, and we are no longer afraid of anything ."

During the course of the tour we encountered Khaled al-Ahmad, the first to open the salon after 4 years. "Today I returned to my profession, which I inherited from my father.

In al-Mashlab neighborhood the spirit returned to it again, as the natural movement of the streets returned and the market returned to its normal movement.

(T/S)

ANHA