The Battle of Raqqa has left now two months behind. One of the commanders of the 'Great Battle' Klara Raqqa has assessed the latest state of affairs and said that they will finally herald the good news of Raqqa’s liberation to all the peoples in the next one to two months to come.

The operation of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to cleanse Raqqa of the ISIS gangs in what is called the 'Great Battle' has left two months behind. The fighters are advancing at the eastern, western, southern and northern fronts constantly and one can say that the fighters of the SDF are liberating the city from the ISIS gangs step by step and meter by meter. Nine neighbourhoods, several strategic areas that were occupied by the ISIS gangs before and thousands of civilians have been secured so far.

In the neighbourhoods of Rawda, Raqqa's old city, Hisam Abdulmalîk, Nazlat Shahadê and al-Barid still ongoing clashes have reached critical phases. Gaining control over those neighbourhoods will destroy the attack power of ISIS ultimately.

One of the commanders of the SDF Klara Raqqa explained the factual situation of the 'Great Battle' for ANF, conversing on the urban warfare they are waging, the tactics ISIS is using, the situation of the civilians, the participation of the YJŞ and their martyrs:

"The operation to liberate Raqqa, which we named the 'Great Battle' has entered its third month. Our operation is continuing according to our plans and aims with profound success. It has been an urban warfare. Urban warfare is absolutely not comparable with a battle on the field. New tactics and strategies need to be adapted. We are talking above all of Raqqa, the so called 'capital' of ISIS. Those gangs have organised and prepared themselves thoroughly in this city in all aspects for years.

If you asked anyone in times past that Raqqa would be cleared of ISIS, they would have said 'that's nothing than a dream'. The SDF, YPG and YPJ, who paid a high price, have made this dream come true. At this moment 50 % of the city has been liberated. The first objective had been to encircle the city from all sides. So in the first step, Raqqa has been hedged in. In this way the whole operation proceeded victoriously in every step. We took control of many neighbourhoods. Now several areas that the ISIS gangs had rendered to their centres are in the control of our forces.

Urban warfare is past comparison to any other warfare. You need to take action with utmost precaution and planning every step. For instance, seizing a tall building can make you gain the upper hand.

We, the SDF are providing the public daily with news and feedbacks. The public knows very well that the ISIS gangs are planting mines where ever they can, are digging endless tunnels and try to ambush us. In order to prevent the loss of even one finger of our fighters, we are making constant efforts to organise ourselves and proceed with even more attention and care. We know that many individuals living outside ask 'why are they advancing so slowly’. We also know that some are actively practising anti propaganda even. We are surely aware of the fact that there are many circles, that want us to fail.

THE EFFORTS TO WEAKEN US HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED

Prior to the launch of the Raqqa Operation some of our comrades fell martyrs in the airstrikes of the Turkish state on Mount Karachok (Qereçox). The Turkish army tried to invade our soil from Tal Abyad. But after they could not reach their goals in Manbij and al-Bab, they turned to Efrîn. With their attacks on Efrîn, they aimed to prevent the Raqqa Operation from succeeding. But what they did not expect was that attacks could never weaken us, on the contrary, we become even stronger. Our feelings to take revenge only grow.

Despite all attacks and denigration campaigns, our people stood with their fighters, who are engaged daily in battles, sacrifice their lives and endure hunger and thirst in the desert heat uncompromisingly. Also the Arab people stood up for us, young boys and girls joined the ranks. Our operation has become huge. In other words, all the plans and efforts of our enemies have been frustrated.

WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CIVILIANS

The ISIS gangs are using civilians as human shields in the areas that remain under their control. They do not distinguish between women or children. I want to give an example of a heroism that occurred a few days ago. Two of our comrades who were members of the Rescue Team fell martyrs, as they saved the lives of a group of civilians from a bomb-laden car which the ISIS gangs wanted to explode amidst the local people.

The mere fact that the ISIS gangs are using civilians as human shields alone, proves that they are living their final days. We are talking about such a mentality which wants to inflict civilian losses even in their last breath. Sometimes ISIS members wear suicide belts to launch attacks instead of the usual 2 to 3 bomb laden vehicles they use. Most of those attacks are being foiled by our fighters. We have an army consisting of fighters, who are protecting the very life and are sacrificing theirs for the safety of civilians against a band that desires to pull everything into death and destruction. Of course will we prevail.

THE OPERATION SHALL BE DELAYED BUT THE CIVILIANS SHALL BE SPARED OF ANY HARM

The reason why our operation is advancing a bit slowly, is because the ISIS gangs are aiming their attacks deliberately at the civilian population. Naturally we have opened a corridor for the civilians. One of our teams is clearing away all landmines and traps from the roads. But peril lurks in the disguise of countless ISIS gang members as civilians and even as women. For this reason our teams are proceeding very vigilantly.

It is of course strenuous from psychological point of view. On the one side your comrades are falling martyrs, and on the other side you see corpses of children. Yet our forces are doing all that is in their power nevertheless unfalteringly. The attitude is: The operation shall be delayed, but we shall save the lives of these children who have not even grown to play their first games. They do not even know the names of their parents, they are babies. We owe these children and babies a better life. Children, women, babies, it does not matter. The safety of our people's lives is more important than the fast success of the operation.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE YJŞ

The operation has reached its current stage with many participating forces. The first statement the SDF issued said this very clear anyway. But in these last couple of weeks another participation took place which is very meaningful and sacred for us. Meant is the arrival of our female Êzîdî fighters, the Shengal Women's Units, YJŞ. Because in Raqqa innumerable women and children were and still are subject to violence, oppressions, terror, offenses, abuse, rape and torture and were massacred without number. Many of them are still being kept hostages in Raqqa.

The fighters of the YJŞ who have come to Raqqa are fighting at the front lines with an enormous will. This is the real revenge on ISIS, this bunch of thugs who are viewing women and children as war loots with their mentality of the middle ages. They perpetrated this in Kobanê, too, before Shengal.

But in the person of the YPJ and the YJŞ the women have torn apart the chains of enslavement. And for this reason we call it a meaningful and sacred step. They are not waiting for their brothers, fathers or any other man to come and save the women, they themselves have taken the lead.

We, the YPJ have said at the beginning of the operation: "The streets and fortresses in Raqqa, where women were chained up and sold into slavery will be destroyed at the hands of the women. The mentality of ISIS will be extinguished. And women will create life in Raqqa anew." With the participation of the YPJ and YJŞ we are fulfilling our promise now.

WITH THE SACRIFICES OF OUR MARTYRS

The Raqqa Operation has reached this phase with the sacrifices of the martyrs. Old commanders have fallen martyrs. Comrade Şevîn was one of our cadre commanders. Her participation, her resistance, her altruism in everyday life and her spirit of comradeship has been left for us as a heritage of how to lead your live.

Our comrade Sozdar… She was a tremendously cherished comrade and had joined the movement long ago. Her desire to battle ISIS took her from one emplacement to the other. No matter how much we asked her to remain in the back, she used to say: "No, I have to be with my comrades" and remained at the very front at all costs. With these valuable women and our martyred comrades this operation has reached its current success. This may never be forgotten.

WITHIN THE NEXT 1-2 MONTHS WE WILL HERALD THE GOOD NEWS

In the end we achieved our goals according to plan. Nothing can stop us from finishing it for good, not the denigration propagandas, nor any other sort of attacks whatsoever. With the energy we receive from the laughter of children and our people will we herald the good news of the liberation of Raqqa within the next one to two months.

* This article by Erem Kansoy first appeared on Yeni Özgür Politika newspaper and was translated by ANF English service.