A Jail under ISIS, Raqqa's Stadium Back to Hosting Football

In this April 5, 2018 photo, children look from the window of their house that was damaged last summer during fighting against ISIS in Raqqa, Syria. (AP)
In this April 5, 2018 photo, children look from the window of their house that was damaged last summer during fighting against ISIS in Raqqa, Syria. (AP)
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A Jail under ISIS, Raqqa's Stadium Back to Hosting Football

In this April 5, 2018 photo, children look from the window of their house that was damaged last summer during fighting against ISIS in Raqqa, Syria. (AP)
In this April 5, 2018 photo, children look from the window of their house that was damaged last summer during fighting against ISIS in Raqqa, Syria. (AP)

He was once held underneath Raqqa's stadium, a prisoner in the ISIS group's alleged Syrian capital. Now Aziz al-Sajer has returned to the pitch -- only this time, with a football, said an Agence France Presse report on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old and his fellow players on the Al-Rashid football team gathered this week in the stadium for a play-off tournament between local clubs.

Dressed in white and bright yellow shirts, they stretched and did warm-up exercises before sprinting onto the sun-parched dirt field.

A few dozen fans cheered them on from metal stands still pockmarked by last year's offensive to oust ISIS from Raqqa.

Directly beneath the supporters were the rooms the extremists once transformed into a notorious prison.

Before joining his teammates, Sajer looked around at the one-time jail where he spent a month being interrogated by ISIS after defecting from Syrian regime forces.

"This prison behind me is now in the past. It's all over, and now we can rest," he said.

He had dark memories of ISIS's three-year reign over Raqqa.

"We used to sneak around just to play sports. It wasn't officially banned -- they just hated it," Sajer told AFP.

"They banned sports logos on clothes, like Real Madrid or Barcelona. You could get imprisoned for that," Sajer recalled.

Ironically, that could land people beneath the Raqqa stadium, which ISIS had outfitted as a jail.

Bullet casings are still scattered near the pitch, and the dirty walls of the dimly-lit rooms underground are marked by handwritten messages from former prisoners: "Oh God, help us."

Last year, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) waged a fierce battle to oust ISIS from Raqqa, and the stadium was one of the extremists’ final holdouts.

Six months later, the pitch is full of life as teams from different SDF-held areas duke it out on the field.

The tournament was organized by the Raqqa Civil Council, an SDF-affiliate local committee tasked with running the city's affairs.

Nashwa Ramadan, co-chair of the RCC's sports and youth committee, said the football championship was the first since ISIS was defeated.

"We've made the stadium a place for sports again," she told AFP.

"ISIS is gone, and with it, the fear. We even have plans for women's sports," Ramadan said.

The match back at the stadium saw Al-Rashid take on Al-Sad, a team from the nearby town of Tabqa that was also recaptured from ISIS by the SDF.

As the players chased the ball around the pitch the watching fans bellowed their appreciation.

"Al-Sad, Al-Sad, where's the fourth goal?" called out one Tabqa supporter, while another spectator cheered, "Nice one, nice one!"

Among those cheering was Mohammad al-Haruni, who told AFP he was glad to see life back to normal.

"After the destruction and displacement, we have hope that things will be better in the future," he said.

"This match is proof of that."



Israeli-Iranian Conflict Alarms Residents of Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

A Hezbollah supporter walks near a site previously targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs during a pro-Iran demonstration on Friday (EPA)
A Hezbollah supporter walks near a site previously targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs during a pro-Iran demonstration on Friday (EPA)
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Israeli-Iranian Conflict Alarms Residents of Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

A Hezbollah supporter walks near a site previously targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs during a pro-Iran demonstration on Friday (EPA)
A Hezbollah supporter walks near a site previously targeted by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs during a pro-Iran demonstration on Friday (EPA)

As the Israeli-Iranian conflict intensifies, many Lebanese, particularly in Hezbollah strongholds such as South Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, are bracing for the worst.

The possibility of Hezbollah’s involvement in the war has heightened fears of a broader escalation that could drag Lebanon into the conflict once again.

In Beirut’s southern suburb of Hayy al-Sellom, 44-year-old Hassan has already packed a bag, as have his siblings. He says they are waiting for the moment they might have to leave, hoping war doesn’t reach their doorstep.

Similarly, Abir, a resident of Burj al-Barajneh, says her family spends most of their time following the news. With an elderly and sick mother at home, she is worried about how they would evacuate if needed and has already begun looking for a temporary alternative place to stay.

The atmosphere in the southern suburbs is tense but quiet. Commercial activity has dropped noticeably, with shop owners reporting a decline in sales of fresh goods. Many families have already relocated to safer areas in the Bekaa and South Lebanon, especially after the school year ended.

Amina, a homemaker in her forties who lives near the airport road, is one of them. She plans to move to her village with her daughter while her husband remains in Beirut for work. She worries about the possibility of an Israeli strike near her home, which has already been targeted multiple times since the last ceasefire in November. Even without open war, she fears a sudden strike might occur nearby.

Still, not everyone is ready to leave. Kawthar, 30, says her family will stay put unless evacuation becomes absolutely necessary. She notes that in view of her limited financial means, moving isn’t a viable option. Despite the stress and constant presence of Israeli drones overhead, they are trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.

Outside Beirut, the fear is just as real. Mustafa, 77, from Bint Jbeil, says the South has been under near-daily fire, and any new war would only worsen an already fragile situation. He fears Hezbollah could be drawn into battle under Iranian pressure, especially if the US becomes involved.

In the Bekaa, residents like Hussein from Hermel echo similar concerns. Having homes in both Hermel and the southern suburbs - areas frequently targeted - he asks the question on everyone’s mind: Where would we go this time?