SDF Commander Xelil spoke about the importance of the Raqqa operation and said: “Whoever liberates Raqqa will have wide say over what politics will develop. If ISIS is defeated in the city they dubbed their capital, they won’t have any ground to resist or hold on.” Xelil pointed out that the Turkish state wants to devastate the Syrian peoples and added: “Whatever powers may be, wherever they may come from, our defense is fundamental and these powers won’t go unanswered.”

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Lokman Xelil answered ANF’s questions on the advance of the operation to liberate Raqqa and the effect this operation has had in the international arena and the region.

“WE BROKE ISIS’ FAITH”

You have completed 72 days in the operation to liberate Raqqa. How has the operation advanced since the beginning, and where is it at now?

Since the first day of the Raqqa operation, until today, in some international areas and locally, there have been some claims made through the media that the SDF and YPG made a deal with ISIS, and Raqqa is to be handed over to the Syrian Democratic Forces. From the first day on, we said these approaches were geared towards not wanting the liberation of Raqqa, or wanting to delay it.

There has been a great struggle and great heroism in the city of Raqqa in these 72 days. Many of our dear friends and commanders sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Raqqa. In a manner worthy of its name, Raqqa is being liberated inch by inch, with a struggle. And that is why it is called the Great Battle. We did know that there would be a great battle in Raqqa, from our planning, intelligence and other efforts. So we dubbed it the Great Battle. A great price has been paid. One of the losses was our comrade Eastern Front Commander Çiya. This shows what a battle was waged in Raqqa. Our forces have advanced in Raqqa with great morale, desire and a plan. Yes, ISIS has prepared in Raqqa, they have settled in and positioned themselves well. And they did believe that the force to enter Raqqa would return in a great defeat. They published propaganda in this line on their own media. But the SDF and YPG fighters’ faith and insistence is breaking this faith in ISIS gangs. It has been broken in fact. Because the way our forces advanced in the city left no route of escape for ISIS. ISIS will be ended in Raqqa, they will be gone. In the 72 days, we took half the city.

In the coming days, we want to complete the Old Raqqa part, namely the area within the walls. That is how we are advancing the operation now. We want to complete this phase of the operation and start a new process. With the old town done, we can say that a new process will be announced. What matters to the gangs is the area within the city walls. Because the old city inside the walls is narrower. They have the opportunity to hide well there. All houses are close together. In that sense, they allow ISIS to maneuver. We want to take this part of the city as a whole under control. That is what our forces are advancing for. They continue their advance as we speak. In these 72 days, our eastern and western branches have met by the water line, in the southern front. We consider this to be a great success, because before this it was just the city that was surrounded, but now the circle tightens within the city. In the south, west and east, the circle is tightening. ISIS is trapped in a smaller area still.

Meanwhile ISIS has changed the way they fight. Until now, they didn’t carry out that many suicide attacks. We can compare with our previous experiences, because this was how it happened in Manbij, Tabqa and other operations. Whenever ISIS resorts to suicide attacks, that means they are desperate. Because they have no way out of the city anymore. They have no more forces to help them either. That is the difference between Raqqa and other liberated areas. In Manbij and Tabqa, the gates were open, they could have fled. But in Raqqa, all the gates have been shut. ISIS is now in a very hard place in Raqqa. We monitor their communications as well. In the emotional sense, they are experiencing a great collapse, they have no faith in each other. They now believe they will be finished in this city as well. Many gang members are now just trying to get out alive. That is why many flee from them. They are trying to save themselves in various ways. Sometimes they wear disguises, and some just straight out turn themselves in to us. Some are shot by our forces when they flee, and some are executed by ISIS. According to information we gathered, 300 ISIS members have been arrested by ISIS. They were caught trying to flee.

“SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH TURKEY”

Are the gang members fighting against you in Raqqa mostly Syrians, or are there many from other countries?

There are very few Syrians left within ISIS. Many of them either surrendered or fled to other places. And we reached their families via several Sheikhs in Raqqa and told them to pull their children back from among the gangs. Because as long as they stay within ISIS, only death awaits them.

From what we have monitored and the bodies we have acquired, these are mostly foreigners. There are the Russians, Chechens, others from other Arab countries. They are from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt. There are Turks. ISIS used to trust mostly in the Turks before. As we witnessed in the previous battles, Turkey and the Turkish border was where ISIS brought new members and aid over. That is why ISIS puts a more spiritual significance on their relationship with Turkey. ISIS has Turkish members, we hear it over the radio. We have their bodies and we have prisoners. So we do have proof, it’s not just us saying it.

What tactics do they use against your forces?

ISIS tried to break the siege with suicide attempts a couple of times. They made some attempts, there have been some attacks but they were not successful. On the contrary, they received blows, they were further broken. Our comrades have been monitoring them through every blow they received. They told each other that they though the siege would be broken but they failed, and they were hoping to break the siege and at least find a way out. That is why they are attacking. Other than that, other than defending themselves, they have nothing left.

“THE STEPS IN RAQQA WILL DETERMINE THE FATE OF SYRIA”

When we look at you as the Syrian Democratic Forces entering Raqqa and the stage the Raqqa operation is at today, how did this affect the international and regional balance?

Before the battle of Raqqa started, there was a lot of discussion on who would go into Raqqa. But in the end, the Syrian Democratic Forces entered Raqqa with the YPG, YPJ and many different constituents in the SDF. These forces were present in the fight against ISIS since the beginning, and they never stopped. And now in the current battle, the same forces are there. There have been various attempts to not have these forces enter Raqqa on their own. The reasons for that were to stop their advance and to stop them gathering strength and expanding. Because today, the force to liberate Raqqa and settle in there has another significance: The steps to be taken there also have a mission that will determine the fate of rebuilding Syria. We can say that whoever liberates Raqqa will have a big say in the politics to be developed there. Our forces taking Raqqa has this significance as well: Raqqa will be the gate to democracy and life for Syria in the future. Like in the Manbij example now. From the restructuring to the new army, this army will belong to the whole of Syria. All of Syria’s territories and cities will be defended, without discrimination. And that will mean a new Syria. Now if ISIS is defeated in the city they dubbed their capital, they will have nothing left to resist or hold on. When ISIS lost in other areas, they had to find new areas for themselves. But being defeated in their own capital will mean they will not have a space to gather strength and exist, and a new process will have started. This is good for Syria in general.

What will you say for the international and regional forces who stand against your advance in Raqqa?

Like there were some who opposed us before we entered Raqqa, there are opponents still even though we are in Raqqa. Especially those close to Turkey’s politics, be it western countries or some regional powers and countries, are still headed by Turkey. Like Turkey doesn’t accept Rojava’s gains and Rojava having a status, now they are in the same approach for Syria. Turkey doesn’t have a project for a solution in Syria. Their project for Syria is an invasion. Like they entered Jarablus, Bab and Azaz with their military force, they want to do the same for Raqqa. Maybe they were not strong enough to enter Raqqa, but now they want to do it in different ways. Of course it is possible that they have a relationship with the Syrian regime. Because the Syrian regime also wants to advance in certain parts of Raqqa. They will try to create some chaos. They will want to divide the Kurds, Arabs, Circassians, Syriacs and other peoples. They are looking for something now, to create a force as an alternative for the SDF. Especially in the international arena, they are trying to find a force to represent the Syrian peoples, or the Arab peoples. This is also the case for the Kurds. They have tried to create forces to represent the Kurdish people for years, but they have yet to achieve success. They will not succeed for the Arab peoples either. Why? Because you protect the place you shed your blood for. That is true for Kurds and Arabs.

What do you think about international powers staying silent in the face of the policies of Turkey and of course the Asad regime along with them?

There is no visible support for Turkey’s and the Asad regime’s policies in the international level, but staying silent also means supporting them. Because the international arena should have supported the advancing forces today more than ever. There should have been recognition for their political forces, military forces and all areas. Because this is a country that is being rebuilt, that is being saved from gangs and terror, a country that is being liberated and a country that is trying to live under their own will as Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, Circassians and others. In this sense, the silence of some international powers does mean a support for the opposing politics in a way. That is how we see it.

“NO THREAT WILL GO UNANSWERED”

There is an invasion of Syria in general. This is done openly by especially the Turkish state. What will the SDF’s stance will be in the face of this invasion?

I want to say this for Syria in general: It could be Jarablus, it could be Bab, it could be Azaz again... Because there are different threats now. The Turkish state is increasing their forces now, and they are also trying to create an army under different names. They are truly trying to bring about a calamity for the Syrian peoples. They have been trying for years. The primary duty for our forces is to protect the peoples who live on these lands. Whatever force it may be, wherever they may come from, our defense is key and these forces will not go unanswered. We are fighting in Raqqa now, but whichever area has the threat, our forces will stand against it. No attack against the peoples of these lands, whatever force that may be, will go unanswered.

Will you continue to advance as the SDF after the Raqqa operation?

This discussion has continued for so long. For us, there is no set border within the lands of Syria. Whoever they may be, for any peoples under threat we have a humanitarian duty. We owe these peoples, and we have to pay our dues. The way to pay it is to defend these lands and these peoples. Wherever it may be, in any place threatened by ISIS, ISIS will find us against them. Some places are more contested, we don’t want to name certain locations, but anywhere there is a threat of ISIS they will find us against them. After Raqqa, our struggle against ISIS will continue stronger.