{"id":85931,"date":"2022-10-19T17:35:52","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T17:35:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=85931"},"modified":"2022-10-19T17:35:53","modified_gmt":"2022-10-19T17:35:53","slug":"raqqa-witnesses-self-help-five-after-liberated-from-isis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/85931\/","title":{"rendered":"Raqqa witnesses self-help five after liberated from ISIS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RAQQA, Syria (North Press) \u2013 <\/strong>Battles to expel militants of Islamic State Organization (ISIS) from Raqqa in northern Syria led to the destruction of 80% of the cities’ infrastructure, reports say.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ibrahim al-Sholi, 36, from al-Romaniya neighborhood, had his house partially destroyed. He cannot afford to rebuild it by his own due to the hard living conditions the people live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A non-government organization (NGO) visited his house and assessed the damage, as he was told that they would come and renovate his house.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the UN figures, 11.000 buildings were either destroyed or damaged between February and October 2017. The figure includes 8 hospitals, 29 mosques, more than 40 schools, five faculties, and water network in the city of Raqqa.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Sholi said that committees of an NGO came to the decision that his house needs renovation. His house has been dilapidated and partially destroyed as a result of shelling during the battles between the Syrian democratic Forces (SDF) and the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS on one hand and ISIS militants on the other.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have visited the NGO many times, they gave us nothing but promises,\u201d al-Sholi said, adding, \u201cWe are coming,\u201d was the common phrase the NGO staff used to repeat to al-Sholi.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since he cannot afford to renovate the house by his own, the house remains a dilapidated one. The family struggles to protect itself from the winter breeze.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The city needs a whole renovation. It was destroyed when the SDF re-took it from ISIS. The Global Coalition dropped nearly 10.000 bombs on the city in the battle against ISIS.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-reliance  <\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Muhammad al-Alloush, 50, from the city of Raqqa told North Press, \u201cNGO\u2019s support is a misleading one.\u201d The man had a budget of 400 million Syrian pounds (SYP) to buy a house and furnish it. \u201cNGOs render $100-1.500 as a maximum, what could we do with such an amount?\u201d   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He did not wait for the NGOs to renovate the house he bought in al-Haramiya neighborhood close to the city center. On the contrary, he depended on himself and furnished it. Now, he resides in with his family.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alloush, among other residents in the city, depended on himself to rebuild his properties as the Global Coalition has evaded its responsibility to rebuild the city. The reconstruction was restricted after the Caesar Act was passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Caesar Act prevents a large number of NGOs and investment companies to head to Syria over concerns of been affected by the Act. This made residents of Raqqa to depend on themselves in reconstruction.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a report by Amnesty International in 2020, it was revealed that Raqqa was one of the largely destroyed cities in modern times.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A report, demanded by Pentagon, revealed the US army could have reduced the scope of damages caused to civilians during the battle of Raqqa in 2017.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Alloush believes \u201cThe Global Coalition destroyed the city of Raqqa and pledged to rebuild it. There is a number of NGOs that promised to reconstruct or render help; however that remained ink on paper.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Destroyed buildings are seen everywhere in the city of Raqqa though the city witnesses a wide scale rebuilding.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-chair of Peoples\u2019 Municipality of Raqqa Civil Council, Malik al-Hariri, said, “Work by the Autonomous Administration was restricted to infrastructure only.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Municipality provides services including water system, sewage canals and roads, deporting debris from destroyed houses and neighborhoods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Hariri added, \u201cRaqqa has been rebuilt 65-70% all by self-reliance. They [people] rebuilt their houses after being destroyed in the war.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA number of NGOs entered the city of Raqqa and filed their studies and prepared to carry out projects of renovation and construction but some countries stopped providing support leading a number of NGOs to no longer operate in the city.\u201d    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Observers say NGOs’ activities in Raqqa have been reduced after the Russian invasion of Ukraine as givers tend to head to Ukraine and no longer fund NGOs in Raqqa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporting by Samir Othman <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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