Leïla Mustafa, placed at the head of the municipality of Rakka since the takeover of the Syrian city from the jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) organization by the Kurdish forces in 2017, was visiting France at the invitation of the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who ultimately did not receive it. She denounces the lack of interest of the Western powers in the future of Rakka since the end of the fighting.
Page Contents
Relations between Western capitals and the authorities in northeastern Syria have long been limited to a military dimension, as part of the fight against ISIS, to the detriment of greater cooperation in the field. civil. Does your visit indicate a change in this state of affairs?
Our visit to France, at the invitation of the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, follows the trip to northeastern Syria by a French delegation of several local elected officials. We appreciate these direct exchanges with representatives of civil society, in the absence of official diplomatic recognition. Despite our military cooperation with France within the framework of the international coalition, the deepening of relations in the civilian field is still lagging behind.
Rakka is known to have been the capital of the Islamic State, the city from which several attacks, including those in Paris and Brussels, were planned. Since the jihadists were driven out, what state is the city in?
The liberation of Rakka which was carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces, with the support of the coalition, resulted in the almost total destruction of the city – 95% of the buildings in the city center were damaged or razed. Vital infrastructure, such as water and electricity networks, has been knocked down. To make the city habitable again, we received minimal support from the international coalition, which was almost insignificant in view of the destruction.
It was therefore necessary that the new local authorities and the inhabitants themselves take the reconstruction effort in hand, street by street. Today, life is back in Rakka, with new residents coming from areas controlled by the regime and areas occupied by Turkey and its mercenaries. Rakka has been the capital of terrorism and obscurantism; it has become a home for all Syrians who want to live in peace.
The challenges remain immense, however, and we do not have the means to rebuild the most important infrastructures such as the Euphrates bridges. We are not beggars, we want concrete partnerships, cooperation on specific projects, but international aid is lacking.
Do blockages remain in this regard in your relations with the international community?
When our sons and daughters fought to take Rakka back from ISIS, we were the center of international attention. But since we hunted this common enemy together, we find ourselves practically alone. This situation is linked to Turkey’s position that Western countries do not want to completely alienate themselves. For its part, Ankara continues to suffocate us by reducing the flow of the Euphrates. Our Western partners must put pressure on Turkey. In view of the sacrifices we have made, their current positioning is not up to par.
