Raqqa Raped and Destroyed, Not Liberated
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
The so-called US-led coalition announced liberation of Raqqa left unexplained months of terror-bombing, the city raped and destroyed, not liberated as claimed.
Thousands, maybe tens of thousands. of civilians were massacred in cold blood. US-led terror-bombing targeted residential areas, hospitals, schools, mosques, vital infrastructure, virtually everything relentlessly, turning the city into a moonscape.
Last summer, UN war crimes investigators denounced a “staggering loss of civilian lives,” largely from America’s led aerial campaign.
Begun months ago, the operation’s objective was turning Raqqa to rubble, not defeating ISIS Washington supports.
Most of its fighters were redeployed to Deir Ezzor province. Syrian and allied forces, greatly aided by Russian airpower, systematically smashed them, eliminating their fighters, destroying their weapons, munitions, equipment and facilities, care taken to minimize civilian casualties, polar opposite ruthless US operations.
On Tuesday, ISIS stronghold Al-Mayadeen was truly liberated, including all towns and villages along the Euphrates west bank between the city and Deir Ezzor – a significant triumph.
It was polar opposite Washington’s Raqqa campaign, pretending to combat ISIS, turning the city to rubble, terror-bombing continuing for months, civilians indiscriminately killed, not terrorists, how all US wars are waged – without mercy, viciously, extrajudicially, with no concern for human lives and welfare.
Tens of thousands of Raqqa civilians fled their homes, lucky ones becoming internally displaced, countless others slaughtered – media scoundrels guilty of coverup through silence.
Last August, UN humanitarian official Jan Egeland called Raqqa the “worst place on earth” to live in, thousands of civilians trapped in the city, unable to get out, fearing they and their loved ones will die.
At the time, the UN’s Stephen O’Brien estimated dozens of civilian deaths daily. Washington supports the scourge of terrorism it claims to oppose, notably ISIS and al-Nusra fighters.
UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, accused the Trump administration of terror-bombing boats on the Euphrates River used by civilians, desperate people trying to flee Raqqa.
This is how imperialism works, endless wars of aggression waged, civilians paying the greatest price.
High crimes of war and against humanity go unpunished – America, NATO, Israel and their rogue allies the worst offenders.
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