RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Alaa al-Ido, a 24-year-old girl from the city of Raqqa in northern Syria rushed to figure out the sound of the explosion but whenever she reached her porch, gunshot sounds forced her to take shelter back in her house.
A few minutes later, her neighbors and friends brought news that ISIS sleeper cells attacked the headquarters of the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) near her house.
Al-Ido rushed to shut the doors and windows fearing that the ISIS militants may break into her house, “I did my best, I was afraid they might be in great numbers and try to get on the roof,” she said.
On Monday, two ISIS militants attacked one of the headquarters of the Asayish in Raqqa.
As a result, six members of the Asayish and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) lost their lives and several others were wounded.
Hours later, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
“The security forces are still combing the city to pursue the remnants of the ISIS cell that attacked the Asayish headquarters and then fled away”, Ali Hejjo, Co-chair of the Interior Board of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) said.
Al-Ido fears the escape of the attackers and their increased activity. She was shocked by the news of the attack and remembered the years when ISIS was in control of Raqqa, “They committed the most horrible crimes.”
During the heightened security state, the Interior Committee of the Civil Council of Raqqa, affiliated with the AANES, declared a state of emergency and total lockdown following the recent attack which increased the fears of the people.
For this reason, Rasha al-Hamdan, 25, was not able to return to her village in the northern countryside of Raqqa and had to stay with relatives in the city.
She spent the night reassuring her mother about her safety since it was her first time spending the night away from her house in years.
Al-Hamdan added that her parents lived many years under ISIS rule, therefore they fear its return.
On the other hand, Jumaa al-Mahmoud, 65, feared going to work since he is a night guard at a construction site.
Al-Mahmoud is concerned about the escape of ISIS militants as security forces are still searching for them and have closed all entrances in and out of Raqqa temporarily.
The boldness of the organization in attacking a military post inside the city is frightening him more, he said. ISIS used to carry out surprise hit-and-run attacks and target locations near deserts for easy escape.
The SDF Commander in Chief Mazloum Abdi warned on Monday of the dangerous preparations made by ISIS sleeper cells.
The recent assault led Hussein al-Ahmad, 48, who works as a guard in an Autonomous Administration facility to unusually carry his gun and wear his chest rig and go back and forth in front of the facility.
He said he was not afraid of a one-on-one encounter but rather a stab in the back. He checked his phone and saw a photo posted by a friend showing three young Asayish members who lost their lives during the attack.
“What is their fault?” he wondered.