Foreign fighters prosper in A-Raqqa

FOREIGN CURRENCY: Foreign fighters and their families living in the Islamic State’s (IS) capital city of A-Raqqa have come to enjoy privileges not afforded to Syrians living under their rule, according to a report released Monday by the pro-opposition media campaign A-Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered.

“IS hasn’t been able to drum up much support among locals, so they compensate by securing the loyalty of foreigners who choose to live under their control,” Azuz al-Hamza, deputy director of Ar-Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered told Syria Direct on Tuesday.

“They do this through financial benefits, among them providing foreign fighters and their families with the nicest homes in the city, many of which used to belong to rich residents that fled the city because they refused to pledge allegiance to IS,” he said.

Islamic State fighters and their families freely walk the streets of A-Raqqa with their families. “You can see the fighter with his wife and sons in the streets of A-Raqqa wearing the group uniforms and carrying Kalashnikovs on their shoulders, even their children have become accustomed to carry arms, and this is what enhances some opinions of analysts that the group is eagerly looking forward to control the next generation of foreigners’ sons,” according to the A-Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered report. 

Women and children of foreign fighters are able to travel and move about more freely, while foreign females are allowed to drive cars, Al-Hamza added.

Syrian women are required to be accompanied by male relatives when leaving their homes.

-March 24, 2015

-Photo courtesy of  A-Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered

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