Raqqa

Raqqa is a city in northern Syria, situated on the left bank of the Euphrates River. It is the capital of Raqqa Governorate and lies roughly 160 kilometers northeast of Aleppo. The city has ancient roots and has long served as a regional commercial and administrative center along the Euphrates corridor. Under the modern state system, Raqqa was part of Ottoman Syria, then the French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon, and joined the Syrian Republic after independence in 1946.

In 2013, Raqqa was captured by the Islamic State (ISIS) and became its de facto capital in Syria, using the city as a base for administration and military operations. The occupying group inflicted extensive destruction on civil infrastructure and cultural heritage. In October 2017, Raqqa was liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces with support from the U.S.-led coalition. Following liberation, local governance was organized under the Raqqa Civil Council within the broader framework of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, with reconstruction and stabilization efforts continuing.

The city’s population is primarily Arab and Sunni Muslim, with smaller communities historically present from other groups; displacements during the conflict left many residents temporarily away, and some have since returned. The economy depends largely on agriculture, small-scale trade, and services, and reconstruction has focused on restoring housing, utilities, and basic infrastructure. Raqqa remains a symbolic focal point of Syria’s post-conflict recovery and a node in the region’s transport network along the Euphrates.