The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), an independent human rights organization dedicated to the defense of human rights in Syria, has monitored, since the beginning of the year, four attacks in the governorate of Al-Raqqa, against both civilians and military personnel.

The most recent incident was recorded on the 10th of January, when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in a civilian car in the al-Malahi area of the city of Al-Raqqa, injuring the driver. The day before, another IED detonated under a military vehicle belonging to the security forces in the north-western part of the city, injuring once again the driver of the vehicle. The SOHR has additionally reported two attacks on military vehicles on the 4th and 5th of January. The former concerns the explosion of an IED placed in a vehicle by an unknown gunman. Two people were injured in this incident which took place in the western part of the city. Furthermore, on the 5th of January several armed men assaulted a vehicle carrying five members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). A journalist was severely injured during the attack, having been shot several times to the chest. The SOHR has reported that after the attack the SDF arrested 18 of the alleged attackers.

The city of Al-Raqqa has played a central role in the Syrian civil war, as capital of the Islamic State (ISIS), from 2014 until 2017. With the Battle of Raqqa in October 2017, the Syrian Democratic Forces, with the help of the US-led military coalition against ISIS, fully captured the city, ousting ISIS from its main stronghold, and establishing  control over it. However, the fall of ISIS in the city did not put an end to violence, as reported by the SOHR which has continued to denounce the recurring violence in the area after 2017.

To know more, please visit:

https://www.syriahr.com/en/199909/

https://www.syriahr.com/en/175758/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41646802

Author: Carla Leonetti; Editor: Francesca Mencuccini