Raqqa, the former Islamic State (IS) capital, is still in ruins months after the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took back the town from IS in October 2017 and will not be rebuilt without a political solution.
During a visit to Raqqa in March, Raqqa’s civilians complained to the author about the lack of electricity and water services.
Nevertheless, an assessment in June by the NGO Reach shows the city’s services are slowly improving with electricity now available for over eight hours a day, while civilians still get water from water trucks, as a result of the efforts of the Raqqa Civil Council (RCC) and projects by the US-led coalition.