Raqqa residents resist demolition plan for North al‑Sikka neighborhoods

Residents of Raqqa’s North of al‑Sikka neighborhoods held a second protest at the Hazima Roundabout after sudden demolition decisions threatened parts of the area stretching from the Silos Roundabout to the Equestrian Roundabout. Protesters said the measures affected four homes, six walled yards on the outskirts, and five industrial facilities that employ more than 250 people. Locals insist they hold official handover records and documents under Legislative Decree No. 61 of 2004 and rejected authorities’ claims that the lands are state property, while voicing alarm over reports of potential Saudi and Chinese investment plans for housing projects on the same land.

The informal districts of al‑Andalus and al‑Falluja suffer from poor services and unclear legal status after years of shifting control and lax oversight. Lawyer Abdullah al‑Aryan warned that an early‑1980s decree prevents demolitions on state land without compensation and urged humane, legal solutions for roughly 3,000 mostly low‑income families — favoring formal organization and regularization over mass removal. Raqqa City Council chairman Abdul Rahman al‑Hassan said the council issued no eviction notices, that existing buildings would remain while new illegal construction may be removed, and that a comprehensive survey and planning study — likely taking over a year — is needed to resolve the file. as reported by Enab Baladi