Hundreds protest demolition plan in Raqqa
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Hundreds of residents demonstrated on Friday in the northern railway district of Raqqa city in protest against a government-backed urban planning and reconstruction project that could result in the demolition of thousands of homes, according to a local source.
The protesters gathered in the area known as “North of the Railway,” expressing anger over planned demolition operations targeting homes classified as violating urban planning regulations.
A local source told North Press that demonstrators carried banners calling for an immediate halt to the demolitions and demanded alternative solutions that would protect residents’ rights and property. Protesters also called for the dismissal of Raqqa’s governor.
According to the source, demonstrators stressed that many of the targeted homes belong to low-income families who built them after years of hardship and difficult living conditions, despite some structures lacking official planning authorization.
The protesters voiced concerns over losing their homes without receiving suitable housing alternatives, urging the relevant authorities to reconsider the implementation mechanism of the reconstruction project in a way that takes residents’ living conditions into account.