- Title: Syrian families return to villages recaptured from Islamic State
- Date: 14th November 2016
- Summary: AL-HEESHA, RAQQA PROVINCE, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 14, 2016) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VEHICLES TRANSPORTING SYRIAN FAMILIES SYRIANS ON MOTORBIKES VARIOUS OF VEHICLES, BUSES AND MOTORBIKES TRANSPORTING CIVILIANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LOCAL RESIDENT, BASSAM AL AYED, SAYING: "We are going to our villages and our homes thank God. We have been liberated and we are happy that we are back in our home." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LOCAL RESIDENT, ADNAN AL KHANEES, SAYING: "We want to return to our homes and we got rid of Daesh (acronym for Islamic State) and from their terrorism and we are happy. We got rid of their (Islamic State members') ideas and then God we are happy and we are back in our homes." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LOCAL RESIDENT, MOHAMMAD AL HUSSEIN, SAYING: "Our situation is fine and we are back in our homes safely and everything is fine and we found everything as it used to be. Our homes are safe and I am really happy. It's a priceless happiness." VEHICLES TRANSPORTING CIVILIANS VARIOUS OF FAMILIES WALKING VARIOUS OF VEHICLES TRANSPORTING CIVILIANS FAMILIES SITTING AT THE BACK OF A VEHICLE VARIOUS OF BUSES AND VEHICLES TRANSPORTING FAMILIES BUS DRIVER WAVING BUSES AND VEHICLES TRANSPORTING FAMILIES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY MOVEMENT, OMAR ALLOUSH, SAYING: "The village of al-Heesha is one of the biggest villages that surround the city of al Abyad. Residents of the city have been evacuated following the military operations four days ago and after liberation, families were immediately allowed to return to the village upon their request. Necessary arrangements have been taken to protect in the first place and to later clean the city from the mines that were planted by Daesh (acronym for Islamic State) before they left the village. Now the process of having families return has started and as you can see jubilation is obvious on the lips of children and old people." CHILDREN AND WOMEN SITTING AT THE BACK OF VEHICLE SYRIAN CHILDREN WAVING VICTORY SIGN MAN OPENING HIS SHOP VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING
- Embargoed: 29th November 2016 19:31
- Keywords: Syria Raqqa offensive rebels government coalition fighting
- Location: AL-HEESHA, RAQQA PROVINCE, SYRIA
- City: AL-HEESHA, RAQQA PROVINCE, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA00158F47YF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Syrian families started to return to their village of al-Heesha on Monday (November 14) after Syrian Democratic Forces drove Islamic State fighters out of it.
Video obtained by Reuters showed a number of vehicles transporting ecstatic families back to their village.
The village was taken following an offensive called "Euphrates Anger" and launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance which includes the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and some Arab groups on Saturday (November 5) and aims to retake Raqqa, the militants' de facto capital in Syria.
Raqqa is the Syrian bastion of Islamic State, from where it runs training camps and directs operations. The group has been overseeing civilian life in the city including bakeries, banks, schools and mosques. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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