On Tuesday, the Kurdish-led, US-supported Kurdish Democratic Forces declared the defeat of the Islamic State in its central position in Syria, the city of Raqqa.
The last ISIS fighters were suppressed after a four-month offensive and the deaths of at least several hundred civilians, with many thousands fleeing the Raqqa. But, speaking to Austria’s Radio FM4 on Wednesday, I explain why there may be more difficult days ahead with the fundamental question, “Who controls Syria’s 7th-largest city? And who rebuilds it?”
This is the demise of ISIS in Syria. But the fundamental problems of the country have always been beyond the Islamic State.
While the defeat of ISIS turns the kaleidoscope of the Syrian conflict, but the much bigger pieces are still in place.
