Nevertheless, the Raqqa Military Council said it is ready to coordinate on the matter of front lines and checkpoints, “but a full control of Raqqa by the Syrian government will not be accepted.”
“The people demand a return of security instead of receiving food baskets from the Russians. In Tabqah, they [Russians] visited the Assadiye area, but they were not welcome by the people.”
The official said the people of Raqqa would not accept the return of “Syrian government institutions,” especially after the “crimes” the regime committed, notably the disappearance of locals from Raqqa who had visited Syrian government areas.
However, he said the situation would change if international powers guaranteed an SDF-Damascus deal.
“Most of them in Raqqa, Tabqah, and Deir al-Zor are wanted by the Syrian government; therefore, any return of Damascus to our areas, without an agreement which is guaranteed internationally, will not be accepted,” Al-Askar stated.
“If the Syrian government also changes its mentality and behavior, and the head of state changes, the people might allow them in, politically and militarily.”
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany