“The Raqqa provincial council will move to work in Raqqa once it is liberated by the Free Syrian Army,” said Saad Shawish, the new head of the council. Shawish also said the council will work together with all sons and daughters of Raqqa to administer it in the most efficient way possible.
Shawish expressed hope that the next council elections will take place in the city of Raqqa itself as his election took place at the headquarters of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey on Wednesday. The election took place in the presence of SIG head Jawad Abu Hatab, SIG secretary-general, and head of the local councils with broad participation of Raqqa residents currently living in Turkey.
A deputy head of the council and 10 executives were also elected. Abu Hatab said that each Syrian city has its special status. He added that “the repeated attacks by terrorist organizations such as ISIS and the PYD militias on Raqqa province should put everyone in front of their responsibilities to serve our people.” Abu Hatab expressed hope that the council will have an active role in improving conditions residents of the province are living in.
SIG secretary-general said that the Raqqa provincial council is now facing enormous tasks, stressing that the council represents all the people of Raqqa.
“Raqqa is for its Syrian sons and daughters, not for anybody else,” he stressed. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
