Raqqa — Life In The Ruins

Since the War on Terror began, the US has been very successful at winning battles. All the while, however, it has got progressively worse at ‘winning the peace’. In Iraq, the lack of reconstruction and piecemeal attempts at creating a stable post-war government sowed the seeds for the takeover of ISIS of much of the country, while in Afghanistan, the country once again teeters on the edge of collapse.

So one would think that following the war against ISIS, the US and its allies would learn that reconstruction is as important as eliminating the enemy.

Sadly, however, this is not the case. Raqqa, the former capital of the Islamic State, is now in ruins, with levels of destruction rivaling that seen in Stalingrad in World War 2. What’s worse is that the people who still live in the city are receiving little, if any, help from outside, especially from those countries who were responsible for reducing the city to rubble.

Reporting from inside the city, Isobel Yeung with Vice News shows just how difficult life is for those who remain. Scarred by war, the residents nonetheless continue to face the threat of unexploded munitions and booby-trapped buildings. At the same time, mass graves are being exhumed with little forensic equipment, and most bodies remain unidentified, forcing families to forever be left in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.

Through this documentary, a silent question remains: without anyone caring to rebuild, how long will it be before the next radical group rises in the region?