In a serious development reflecting the resurgence of activity by the terrorist organization ISIS in Raqqa province, the group executed two civilians after kidnapping them from the city of Tabqa and transferring them to the Raqqa desert, where they were beheaded under the pretext of collaborating with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This operation is the first of its kind since the group was expelled from Raqqa in 2017, indicating a renewed activity of its sleeper cells in the region.
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently contacted the families of the victims, revealing that the two young men were purely civilians with no connection to the SDF. The men had been kidnapped about a month ago, and the families were contacted with a ransom demand of $4,000 for their release. Despite the ransom being paid, the organization posted images of them beheaded, in a message that carried both political and criminal motives aimed at spreading fear and chaos.
This incident comes at a time when concerns are rising over increased ISIS activity in Raqqa after five members of the organization escaped from the Silo Prison in the area. This has prompted the International Coalition to intensify its efforts to search for them. The organization seems determined to regain its strength by carrying out swift attacks targeting civilians to instill fear and reestablish its presence.
Despite ongoing efforts by the International Coalition to maintain security in the region, the return of ISIS through its sleeper cells poses a significant threat to the security and stability of Raqqa. As these events escalate, the need for increased international and local cooperation to track down the remnants of the organization and prevent them from rebuilding their terrorist base becomes more pressing.
The next phase in Raqqa may witness further security challenges, as ISIS seeks to exploit any weakness to resume its activities and impose control through terror and extortion.
