SDF: Raqqa battle is everlasting pact among its people, tribes, SDF

The General Command of the SDF congratulated the eighth anniversary of the liberation of Raqqa through a statement, saying: "We will not allow terrorism to return under any name or form. We will not allow the enemies of freedom to tamper with the destiny of our people, and we will never bargain over the blood of our martyrs, no matter the challenges."

The statement read as follows:

"On this day in 2017, the fighters, men and women, of the Syrian Democratic Forces, supported by the sons and daughters of Raqqa and its noble tribes, wrote a heroic epic that will remain immortal in the memory of history. On this day, our forces liberated the city of Raqqa from the grip of the terrorist organization ISIS, the capital of its so-called caliphate, so that the city of life and civilization would return to its people, free and dignified, pulsing with hope.

On this glorious anniversary, we honor with deep reverence our heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives so that Raqqa could live free and safe. We extend our congratulations and pride to our male and female fighters in the Syrian Democratic Forces who embodied the highest meanings of heroism and sacrifice. We also congratulate the people of Raqqa and their noble tribes who united with their forces to achieve this historic victory and restore the city’s dignity and free life.

Raqqa, under the rule of ISIS, was a symbol of terror and death. Its people lived under the lash of violence, killing, and oppression, and the most heinous crimes were committed against them. The organization tried to erase the city’s identity and impose its dark ideology on its diverse society, but it failed before the will for life and dignity carried in the hearts of Raqqa’s people and their defending forces.

At that time, the Syrian Democratic Forces answered the call of Raqqa’s sons and tribes who appealed for help to lift the oppression and break the chains. The role of the tribes was crucial and decisive in shaping the course of liberation. In the cities of Hasakah and Kobani, repeated and in-depth meetings took place between tribal elders and our commanders. The tribes launched constant public appeals for immediate action and participated with steadfastness and determination in shaping the strategy for their city’s liberation.

Those meetings were not mere appeals, they were genuine organizational and planning stages, both military and tribal. They resulted in a comprehensive plan for action and liberation, turning into a covenant between the people and their forces: to save the city at any cost. The unity of the tribes with our forces became the cornerstone that paved the way for the Battle of Raqqa’s liberation to emerge.

The liberation battle then began—the toughest of battles against terrorism. Our male and female fighters fought building by building, street by street, in a long war where their heroism was written in blood and sacrifice.

Hundreds of our finest fighters fell on Raqqa’s soil, their pure blood writing the dawn of freedom for its people. They did not retreat despite the difficulty of the fighting, nor did they abandon their duty despite the heavy sacrifices, because they believed that protecting human dignity was above all else. They fought in the name of every mother who lost her children, every woman freed from the slavery of terror, and every child who regained the right to live.

The liberation of Raqqa was not a local event, but a global victory against one of the most extreme forms of terrorism. This triumph revived hope among peoples resisting terror everywhere and proved that the Syrian Democratic Forces were the power that answered the call of their people and defeated ISIS on the ground—when other projects failed to achieve that.

Today, eight years later, Raqqa still stands proud thanks to the sacrifices of its people, the unity of its tribes, and their cohesion with their forces. Despite all the attempts to conspire, all the projects aiming to destabilize our regions and distort our achievements, we declare clearly:

We will not allow terrorism to return under any name or form. We will not allow the enemies of freedom to tamper with the destiny of our people, and we will never bargain over the blood of our martyrs, no matter the challenges.

We address all parties: the liberation of Raqqa was not a passing battle but a lasting covenant between the Syrian Democratic Forces, the people, and the tribes—a covenant to protect the land and the people, to defend our unity, and to continue building a safe and free future. We affirm that the cohesion of the tribes, their initiatives, and their continuous meetings were and will remain a fundamental guarantee for any successful process of liberation or reconstruction in our region.

Raqqa today, once the capital of terrorism, has become a symbol of liberation and coexistence, and a model of the undefeatable will of peoples. This achievement will not fade, for it was written in the blood of martyrs, forged by the will of fighters, and cemented by the unity of the tribes and the people around their forces, the SDF.

On this glorious anniversary, we renew our pledge to continue protecting our people and our land from all danger, to confront terrorism and its dark ideology in all its forms, and to defend our gains, no matter the challenges.

Glory and eternity to our heroic martyrs. Salute to all our fighters, men and women, who wrote victory with their blood. Special salute to our tribes who raised their voices, coordinated strategies, and helped create victory. Eternal victory to our free people, and defeat to all who attempt to undermine their security and dignity."

A-H

ANHA