ISIS-Planted Mines Delay Return of Raqqa Residents

Graduates of a US-trained police force, which expects to be deployed in Raqqa, salute during a graduation ceremony near Ain Issa village, north of Raqqa, Syria, June 17, 2017. (Reuters)
Graduates of a US-trained police force, which expects to be deployed in Raqqa, salute during a graduation ceremony near Ain Issa village, north of Raqqa, Syria, June 17, 2017. (Reuters)
TT
20

ISIS-Planted Mines Delay Return of Raqqa Residents

Graduates of a US-trained police force, which expects to be deployed in Raqqa, salute during a graduation ceremony near Ain Issa village, north of Raqqa, Syria, June 17, 2017. (Reuters)
Graduates of a US-trained police force, which expects to be deployed in Raqqa, salute during a graduation ceremony near Ain Issa village, north of Raqqa, Syria, June 17, 2017. (Reuters)

Massive destruction left behind by fierce battles fought between ISIS terrorists and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters in Syria’s Raqqa have delayed the return of displaced residents to their homes.

When scoping streets and neighborhoods, widespread devastation gauges the ferocity at which clashes were fought. Shops and homes that survived the bombardment had their windows and doors shattered by the power of the explosions.

Post the former ISIS stronghold’s liberation, Raqqa’s Civilian Council finds itself in the process of preparing to take over the city's administration. The council is a local body consisting of 14 specialized committees.

SDF officials announced that ISIS was fully expelled from Raqqa on October 17.

Among the most important challenges will be sweeping mine-infested zones, lifting of rubble, and resuming local education after three years of disruption.

"We have developed evaluation programs to study all areas with affected services, such as health, educational and public-- and we have surveyed all life aspects in Raqqa. A rapid response plan has been developed accordingly," said Raqqa’s Civilian Council chief and Kurdish civil engineer Leila Mustafa.

The plan covers mine clearance, which will only be done through specialized organizations and international companies.

There is also the return of the residents that is linked to clearing the city from the traces of ISIS.

Opening main streets and entrances so that Raqqa residents can return and assist in reconstruction efforts is also another milestone to be crossed by the rebuilding campaign.

At the end of September, members of the RCC, including Mustafa, traveled to the Italian capital Rome and held meetings with International Coalition countries, the United Nations and the European Union.

"We have seen these countries interact seriously with the council and they pledged assistance. The Netherlands allocated 1.5 million euros for de-mining operations, and the EU gave a €2 million grant for de-mining as well."

Brett McGurk, the top US presidential envoy to the anti-ISIS coalition, arrived in northern Syria last week and met with members of the Raqqa council and the reconstruction committee.

He also met tribal leaders and urged them to work closely with the SDF.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday that several leaders of the al-Qaeda offshoot, the Khalid ibn al-Walid Army, were killed by Israeli aircraft targeting two locations in the Golan Heights.



Algeria Agrees with Italy to Tackle Terrorism, Migration at Summit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during the Italy-Algeria summit at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Italy, July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during the Italy-Algeria summit at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Italy, July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
TT
20

Algeria Agrees with Italy to Tackle Terrorism, Migration at Summit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during the Italy-Algeria summit at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Italy, July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune during the Italy-Algeria summit at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Italy, July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Italy and Algeria agreed to work together to fight terrorism and control migration during an intergovernmental meeting in Rome on Wednesday, documents showed, while companies signed off on deals on sectors including energy and telecommunications.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili, after a trip to Algiers by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in March.

Algeria is Rome's leading trading partner in Africa, with trade worth almost 14 billion euros ($16.4 billion) while Rome's investments there amount to 8.5 billion, Italy said.

According to a document seen by Reuters, a memorandum will be signed between Italy and Algeria on fighting terrorism and its financing. The document did not say which threats the countries were focused on.

The two nations will also agree on a plan to coordinate the search and rescue operations for migrants who attempt the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa to Europe. Meloni's right-wing government was elected in 2022 on a mandate to curb migrant arrivals.

On the business side, Italian energy group Eni this month signed a production sharing contract with oil and gas company Sonatrach worth $1.3 billion to explore and develop hydrocarbons in Algeria.

A document said the two companies will sign an additional agreement on the sidelines of the summit to strengthen their cooperation.

Eni buys gas from Sonatrach under a long-term contract that has made the north African country one of the key fuel suppliers for Italy after Rome severed ties with Russia's Gazprom following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

A separate deal will involve Submarine cable company Sparkle, a unit of Telecom Italia (TIM), which is set to be sold to a consortium led by Italy's Treasury later this year.

Sparkle will sign a preliminary agreement with Algerie Telecom for a new subsea cable connecting the two countries.

"Algeria is a strategic partner, and we are working hard to make this partnership ever broader, stronger and more diversified," Foreign Minister Tajani said during a speech at a business forum with over 400 companies from the two nations.