- Title: Civilians flee Raqqa as coalition forces close in
- Date: 5th July 2017
- Summary: KARAMA, EAST OF RAQQA, SYRIA (JULY 1, 2017) (REUTERS) TENTS IN RELIEF CAMP DISPLACED CHILDREN AND WOMAN / TENTS IN BACKGROUND MORE OF DISPLACED CHILDREN IN RELIEF CAMP RUNNING TWO CHILDREN WALKING TOWARDS TENT / CLOTHES HUNG TO DRY MORE OF CHILDREN IN CAMP GIRL HOLDING INFANT / WOMEN STANDING NEXT TO WOMAN WASHING CLOTHES IN PLASTIC BASIN CLOSE OF GIRL HOLDING INFANT CLOSE OF CHILD CHILDREN OUTSIDE TENT / WOMAN DOING WASHING IN PLASTIC BASIN WOMAN SQUATTING NEXT TO PLASTIC BASIN / CHILD SITTING NEXT TO WOMAN CLOSE OF CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED WOMAN FROM RAQQA, DJAZIA, SAYING: ''We left because of the fighting. We were afraid, we have children. We almost died of hunger, and no one helped us." JOURNALIST ASKING: "What are your needs?" DISPLACED WOMAN FROM RAQQA, DJAZIA, SAYING: "We want to go back to our homes, we have lost all of our belongings. We just need that.'' DISPLACED PEOPLE OUTSIDE TENT DISPLACED PEOPLE SITTING ON GROUND AND EATING CHILDREN EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED MAN FROM RAQQA, ZIAD, SAYING: ''We escaped the war between Islamic State and the Syrian Democratic forces. We escaped because we were at a battlefield. They brought us here, to this camp, and our homes are over there, two kilometers away and we have been banned from entering them. Our belongings have been stolen, we left our lands, we didn't manage to take anything. We spend all the time trying to get a permission slip to go back to our homes.'' MAKESHIFT TENT WITH WRITING ON SIDE READING (Arabic): ''PHARMACY'' / MAN AND CHILD ON MOTORCYCLE / TWO MEN STANDING NEXT TO MOTORCYCLE SHEEP AND SHEPHERD BEHIND FENCE CHILDREN IN CAMP DISPLACED FAMILY OUTSIDE TENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED MAN FROM RAQQA, OUBAYD, SAYING: ''We left because of Daesh (Islamic State) and the way they treated us, their terrorism and the problems they caused. JOURNALIST ASKING: "What is your situation now?" DISPLACED MAN FROM RAQQA, OUBAYD, SAYING: "We are displaced now and we live in the open air. These are our house belongings, we just managed to get them today. This is what we have. These are the last things we owned in the house.'' CHILDREN SWEEPING GROUND OUTSIDE TENT PEOPLE SITTING OUTSIDE TENTS FAMILY EATING OUTSIDE TENT CLOSE OF CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DISPLACED MAN FROM RAQQA, MOHAMED, SAYING: ''There was fighting and air strikes, artillery, and we were caught up in the middle, so we had to leave. Thank God, everyone is okay and the herd was not harmed.'' DISPLACED PEOPLE AT CAMP TRUCK, TENTS AND DISPLACED PEOPLE AT CAMP DISPLACED MAN AND WOMAN RIDING MOTORCYCLE VARIOUS OF TENTS IN THE CAMP
- Embargoed: 19th July 2017 12:27
- Keywords: Karama camp Civilians displaced people Raqqa The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fierce battles Islamic State
- Location: KARAMA, EAST OF RAQQA, SYRIA
- City: KARAMA, EAST OF RAQQA, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016OFY0XZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Civilians fleeing fighting Raqqa said they feared for their lives and starved as their homes became the centre of the battleground between Islamic State and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab groups.
They found refuge at a relief camp in Karama village, east of the city, many traumatised, bereft of their possessions and forced to live in the open air.
The SDF, launched its assault to capture Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto capital in Syria, last month after gradually closing in on the city.
With 200,000 people displaced from Raqqa, more are expected to flee as fighting intensifies.
Raqqa has been under Islamic State control since 2014. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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