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The Raqqa Diaries
The Raqqa Diaries: Life Inside Islamic State | Mohammed, Sameera
9 posts | 8 read | 14 to read
The Raqqa Diaries began as a series of short broadcasts on Radio 4's Today Programme. Now one of the most isolated and fear ridden cities on earth, no-one is allowed to speak to western journalists or leave Raqqa, without IS's permission. Those caught breaking the rules face death by beheading. Despite this, Mike Thomson, with the help of BBC's Arabic Service, found a young man who is willing to risk his life to tell the world what is happening in his city. Part of a small anti-IS activist group, the diaries were written, encrypted and sent to a third country before being translated. The diarist's father is killed and mother badly injured during an air strike, he is sentenced to 40 lashes for speaking out against a beheading, he sees a woman stoned to death. They show how every aspect of life is impacted - from the spiralling costs of food to dictating the acceptable length of trousers. At one point, the sale of televisions is banned. As Samer says, 'it seems it's not enough to stop us talking to the outside world, now we can't even look at it.' Having seen friends and relatives butchered, his community's life shattered and the local economy ruined by these hate-fuelled extremists, Samer believes he's fighting back by telling the world what is happening to his beloved city. Raw, direct and profoundly affecting, THE RAQQA DIARIES is an important book by a brave young man, which allows unprecedented access to the brutal conditions that many Syrians are living under.
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Yellowpigeon
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Even if your life doesn't mean much to you, it does mean a lot to others.

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lauralovesbooks1
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Pickpick

This diary was smuggled out of Raqqa and is a personal account of the horrors that many of the Syrian people are facing daily. It's hard to imagine what it would be like to live in a situation like that, completely cut off from the outside world, wondering every day if you would be arrested, tortured, or killed.

24 likes2 stack adds
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CariadLlyfr
Pickpick

This is one of the most important works of this decade. I'm never one to impress a book on someone but everyone needs to read this.

I'm heartbroken and apologetic and shocked that this is happening in our world. This book is heartbreaking and waves of shock just keep hitting you when you realise this book is not a work of fiction. A must-read for everyone!

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Suraja
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Current read.

Can't wait to be done with work so I can head back home and binge read.

2 likes1 stack add
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Vikz
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Pickpick

The subject matter of this book, and the way that it came into being, make this a really important work. The writing is Heartbreaking and gives a chilling look at what it is like to live in this troubled region.,

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Vikz
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What I read last night

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Moray_Reads
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Pickpick

I can't say much about these diary entries smuggled to the BBC from Daesh-occupied Raqqa (it is past time we stopped using "IS" and "Islamic State", inverted commas aren't good enough). It's one man's experience. It's horrifying and heart-breaking. It's also beautifully produced with gorgeous illustrations by Scott Coello.

47 likes3 stack adds
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Moray_Reads
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Just a small #libraryhaul today. They had lots of new items but I only had two loans left 😭

Leniverse How many loans does your library allow? Mine allows 20-something. 8y
Moray_Reads @Leniverse only twelve! It's a terrible struggle 8y
Leniverse Ack! Only 12! I feel your pain. I've never reached my limit, but I exceed 12 on a regular basis. 8y
42 likes3 comments
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RiotMom
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#tbrtemptation I can't wait to read this!
From @penguinpublishing :
Raqqa is now one of the most isolated and fear ridden cities on earth, where no one is allowed to speak to foreign journalists or even leave the city without the so-called Islamic State's permission. Those caught breaking the rules face death by beheading. These diaries are a living, breathing account of the conditions that Syrians face as they try to go about their daily lives.

ruthemmielang Beautiful illustrations 💕 8y
58 likes6 stack adds1 comment