Residents of the Syrian city of Raqqa who have fled to Lebanon tell of life back home in Isis’s capitalIt was once a riverside city of more than 200,000 people, the sixth largest in Syria with a rich heritage influenced by the dominant cultures of the various ages – Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic.But Raqqa, the newfound “capital” of Islamic State, has become a citadel of hunger, monotony and overwhelming oppression, where women must cover up completely, water and electricity supplies are fitful and beheadings are the standard form of punishment. Related: Smuggled video testimony documents harsh rule of Syrian Islamist group Continue reading...
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