In Raqqa's city centre, where severe clashes are taking place, many civilians are trapped. In order to save these civilians the fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are engaged in heavy fights.

The fighters of the SDF are rescuing dozens of civilians every day from the clutches of the gangs and are tied up in a real struggle to get the civilians safe and sound out of harms way.

As soon as news came that a handful civilians are stuck in the Hisham Abdulmelîk neighbourhood east of Raqqa, as they are encircled and used by the ISIS gangs as human shields, the fighters set out at once with an armoured vehicle.

The SDF fighters surrounded the neighbourhood within a short time to save the civilians. As the clashes got more intense we were ushered out of the battle zone to another location, where we were waiting for civilians to be rescued. The fight went on for three hours, but slowly shapes appeared in the distance belonging to the rescued civilians and the fighters, who drove our way in a row of civilian cars.

The faces of these inhabitants of Raqqa, who were suffering for four years now from the barbarity of the ISIS gangs, were shining visibly in this moment of rescue with happiness and laughter, as they were transported by the liberating SDF forces to secure areas. Among the civilians were mainly women and children. The SDF fighters brought them to a secure building, where they provided them for quiet some time with food and drink. The fighters who participated in this operation to retrieve the civilians safely, were dancing outside the building cheerily shoulder to shoulder in a long row.

According to the rescued civilian's accounts, many of them have been injured due to the attacks and efforts of the ISIS gangs to slaughter them all, and also because of mines and explosive traps planted by the gangs.

A 70 years old Raqqan grandfather stated: "The ISIS gangs treated us the same way, as they treated animals. God shall protect these fighters of the SDF, they have come to our help and saved our lives." The old man continued saying: "The gangs did not allow us to wear long garments, if we did so they simply cut it off. When our beards were not long enough, they threw us into prison. They fed us with dry bread that was meant for animals. We lived with a couple of families together in one street, but we supported each other even though we absolutely possessed nothing. The ISIS gangs distributed every five to six month 5 to 6 million Syrian lira to us, as to make fun of us and told us: "These are Islamic alms". They gave us one bag rice, and after that nothing any more. After that bag rice was finished, there was literally nothing we could eat. What shall I say more? This is not Islam. They do not pray and they do not worship. They demanded from us to go every day to the mosque. They are infidels. But God is almighty. God has sent us the SDF. These beautiful youths have saved us from this evil. The young fighters of the SDF take very good care of us. They provide us with water and food and treat us with much respect and attention. Even though they themselves remain hungry and thirsty like us, they keep on fighting nevertheless against this terror. God shall protect them."

Another civilian stated that the ISIS gangs had encircled them for the last two months now and added: "We always tried to run away, but each time they put us through heavy torture. Every time we tried to escape, they caught us and took us to another place. Shortly before they trapped us, they distributed one bag of rice to every family. After it was all empty, we had nothing we could eat. Neighbours tried to help each other. When there was some bread we ate it, and when there was none we were left hungry again. The forces of the SDF came to our rescue and called for us. We headed to them. God shall protect them, they have rescued us from this oppression."

The civilians, who had taken a break at the checkpoint, moved after a while off for the secure areas guided by the SDF fighters.

The operations to rescue civilians are ongoing without for two days and two nights any interruption. The ISIS gangs are trying to use those civilians as human shields, but yet they are still not able to stymie the operations of the SDF to save the civilians. The SDF forces are conducting all their operations highly organized and use clever tactics and approaches, which until now did not allow even one single civilian be killed.