Jenan MoussaVerified account

19- While walking around, I suddenly noticed three beautiful white birds flying along the Euphrates river. I'm not a bird specialist but it was nice to see some wild life. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/twt8x9jyQT

18- A street scene in Raqqa. Life is back but the city is still full of scars. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/xsmiYOT78f

17- Tough life. Workers take the metal out of collapsed concrete and sell it as scrap. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/dRHnnQ5qEX

16- Many shops are actually open again in Raqqa and there is a souk/market. Here some women & men out shopping. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/3YFJahkFQi

15- The mosque is gone. Only the minaret survived the war. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/GesSe85Zi6

14- As boys swim in the Euphrates river, a couple of children stand on the ruins of a bombed out building, which was in the past used by ISIS fighters. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/pi6YLb9jCl

13- Near to Raqqa's railway station, so much destruction. Where to start rebuilding? https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/cnXrTAZdkB

12- At first site you think: A bit of water, nothing special. But for Raqqa it is crucial that it's extensive system of canals has largely been repaired. This way farmers in the area can grow crops, giving food, life & hope to the region. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/OdGKJrTZzs

11- Raqqa city, 2019. No comment. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/cvpnLsHeKt

10- In an ISIS graveyard, first responders found on day of our visit 9 bodies. Nobody knows who they are. A day before in the same ground, they found bodies of six men dressed in orange suits, hands tied behind their backs, executed by ISIS. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/DyR1QSfqoM

9- Just outside Raqqa, some people are still living in tents. They are waiting for their houses to be repaired so they can go home. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/smK7CI9l1T

8- What typically happens in Raqqa is this: After returning, many found their properties destroyed. Hardly anybody has enough money to redo whole building. So residents clear 1 room or repair the ground floor. This way they can live or start a business. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/xAbKjnnyBI

7- Most think Raqqa is only desert and sand. Not true. The mighty Euphrates flows south of Raqqa. Here everything is lush green & the water is also used in the city. Pic taken of Euphrates river from a former ISIS HQ bombed by coalition planes. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/p0foqQgn2S

6- I was pretty surprised to see among all of Raqqa's destruction, suddenly a garbage truck with workers collecting trash. I know it's a cliche but it's also very true: Life goes on. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/l4FVywcv46

5- A little boy sitting on a pavement between the rubble in Raqqa. Some might say why don't you just leave such a ruined place? But to tens of thousands of Syrians, Raqqa is home. No other place to go to. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/N9tQqYs8ea

4- Although Raqqa hardly gets international support, everywhere you notice people trying to make the city a bit more livable. Here workers are repairing the northern entrance of the city. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/jGCV3TYFsf

3- The destruction in Raqqa is really overwhelming but at least some buildings have been renovated such as this hospital, the yellowish building in the middle with the cars infront of it. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/tgWvDbRAdJ

2- Last time I visited Raqqa, it was during Coalition/SDF attack on ISIS in city. Back then, lots of fighting, bombing &hardly any civilian. Now destruction still overwhelming but people return, rebuild lives around rubble like this snack bar Al Hadri. https://www.akhbaralaan.net/news/arab-world/2019/07/18/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%a9-2 …pic.twitter.com/0OeHadKBq6