The most important one of the operations to clean the garbage of ISIS gangs from these lands is the Wrath of Euphrates operation to liberate Raqqa. In this framework, the operation that was launched from the Ayn Îsa town some 50 km from Raqqa center on November 5, 2016 is now at the gates of Raqqa. The most important step to enter through Raqqa’s door is the liberation of the Tabqa town built on the Euphrates River.

Tabqa town is the key to Raqqa. The operation to unlock the gates of Raqqa was launched on two axes on March 21. One axis approached the town from the dam side and cleared half the the dam road off gangs and the other crossed the Tabqa Dam from the air and over the water to lay siege to the town. Operation forces that were to enter the town from the western end cleared a significant portion of the villages and hamlets to the west and south of the town off ISIS gangs and managed to push ISIS out of the Tabqa Airport, the most important airport in Syria.

This operation force launched on March 21 is getting closer to the town with each passing day. Comrades of the forces who surrounded the town continue to support them by ferries over the reservoir lake every day. We were there to witness the passing of the freedom fighters and their excitement while on their way to support their comrades.

The Euphrates River is born in the mountains of Northern Kurdistan and meets dozens of other waters of Northern Kurdistan here in this dam. We saw Munzur, Murat, Peri and dozens of other rivers that come from the melting snow in the tall Kurdistan mountains in this dam. We felt the fraternity of the waters of Kurdistan, coming from the tall mountains to the vast plains. We crossed over the Tabqa Dam reservoir on the Euphrates River in a two-hour trip. While we were sailing on the vast reservoir, the sky blue Euphrates was giving these lands prosperity, and us a fresh feeling.

Our companions were sailing for freedom and liberation. The path and the journey are valuable if there is freedom at the end, and this path and this journey were the embodiment of that freedom. We sailed over the blue waters of the Euphrates with some fifty Wrath of Euphrates freedom fighters with 3 boats and 8 cars, for two hours. The fighters were Arabs and Kurds. These freedom fighters who marched into war shoulder to shoulder for the fraternity of the peoples is the true face of the Middle East. Some fighters chose to rest during the long journey, but most of them were enchanted by the blue waters of the Euphrates, turning their guns and their faces towards the other side of the waters, where they would be united with their comrades to fight shoulder to shoulder for the freedom of Tabqa.

While we advanced over the Euphrates, we had the Fort Caber to the southeast, Tabqa town to the south and ISIS gangs to the northwest. When we arrived, we got off the ferry under the guidance of the fighters who were stationed on the coast and advanced into the inner areas, towards Tabqa town. It was a delight to be on the road with fighters on their meaningful way to a meaningful war.