Global coalition sends aid to displaced people in Raqqa

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) has provided humanitarian aid for people displaced by recent fighting in northern Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Friday.

“The International Coalition's Civil Affairs Team has provided humanitarian aid to the Autonomous Administration in the Raqqa region to support the forcibly displaced people from the areas of Afrin and al-Shahba,” the SDF wrote on X, adding that “this assistance is particularly crucial during this challenging period in Syria, especially in the north and eastern Syria.”

“It also underscores the robust nature of the partnership with the International Coalition forces, which extends beyond military cooperation to encompass efforts to ensure security and stability in the region,” said the SDF.

Nearly 120,000 people from al-Shahba arrived in the Kurdish-held town of Tabqa in Raqqa province, Sheikhmous Ahmed, head of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) office for the displaced and refugees, told Rudaw English earlier this month.

They were fleeing an offensive by the Syrian National Army (SNA), rebel groups backed by Turkey, that coincided with a rebel offensive led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that ousted Bashar al-Assad.

The collapse of the regime marked a new start in Syria’s history. The HTS-led groups established a transitional government led by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, who has promised a future Syrian state that guarantees the rights of all its citizens.

The SNA, however, have continued their offensive. They are currently targeting Tishreen Dam on the Euphrates River and Qere Qozaq bridge south of Kobane.