Syrian Islamic State Fighters Escorted Out of Raqqa Under New Agreement

The Raqqa Civil Council addressed a group of Syrian Islamic State fighters who had surrendered to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on October 15 as part of an agreement which aims to end the fighting in Raqqa, Syria.

In this video, members of the Raqqa Civil Council said they hoped the fighters would live a very different life than they before. Several of the fighters used crutches and had other visible injuries.

Local news sources said the SDF moved them from a prison in Raqqa to al-Tabqa, a city located to the west.

A young man in the video says he joined the Islamic State because they had religion.

On October 14, the Raqqa Civil Council said they called on the SDF to allow local Syrian fighters from the Islamic State to leave Raqqa under their protection in order to end the fighting and save the lives of the remaining civilians stuck inside the city. The following day, they said only Syrian fighters were included in the surrender agreement.

The US operation in Raqqa, Operation Inherent Resolve, said on October 14 that convoys were preparing to transport Syrian Islamic State fighters out of Raqqa after the Raqqa Civil Council, local leaders, and the Islamic State reached an agreement on October 12. The US coalition said it was not a party to the negotiations, but it “believes it will save innocent lives.” Credit: YouTube/Furat FM via Storyful