Al-Raqqa people return to practice their rituals freely
Al-Raqqa city's people who were denied from practicing ritual of Eid, today return to their rituals and head to the graves of the shrines, congratulating each other on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. The people said they return to their rituals by sacrifices of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters that liberated them from the grip of Islamic State's gangs.
AMINA AL_ALI-FAJER AL_KAHLED/AL_RAQQA
During domination of Islamic State's gangs to al-Raqqa city, al-Raqqa people were denied practicing their rituals, including the rituals of holidays where they destroyed the graves, smashed the tombstone, and stole the stones of the graves.
Today, for the first time after liberating al-Raqqa city by virtue of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from grip of Islamic State's gangs. Al-Raqqa people returned to practicing their rituals and customs. After the people prayed Eid al-Fitr prayers in the mosques, they went to the graves and read Fatihah on the graves of their relatives. The women who were denied visits to the graves during domination of (IS) to the area, women distributed sweets to the people
The biggest share of happiness and joyfulness was children’s who were walking among the shrines and the blessing of Eid al-Fitr to everyone who meets them, while the smile has not left their face, because this is the first time they feel the joyfulness of Eid al-Fitr since years ago where they lived in the dark, in the camps, and in wilderness.
Yasser al-Hassan from al-Raqqa city's people said to Hawar news agency (ANHA), "We have been denied access to the graves of our dead for four years because (IS) gangs claim that this is unbelief and blasphemy, and not only prevented us from visiting the graves, but destroyed them and sold their stones."
Citizen Herba al-Mustafa congratulated all Muslims, especially al-Raqqa people on freedom. "We have been denied access to graves for the past few years, but today we visit and our holidays are two, because we have come back to practice our rituals freely."
"We thank Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters because they liberated us from (IS) gangs and oppression. Today we went to the graves after (IS) gangs destroyed all the graves, although we hardly could recognize the destruction, we are happy because we are free on this holiday."
Al-Raqqa people congratulated all Syrians on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, and wished that peace would prevail throughout Syria as well as peace in al-Raqqa city.
(T/S)
ANHA
