ISIS Told Me Either Cover Your Eyes or We Will Take Them Out

The city of Manbij in northern Syria was recaptured from ISIS by the Syrian Democratic Forces on Friday. This city had been under the control of the Islamic State group for two years. However, a coalition of Arab and Kurdish forces, supported by the International Coalition against ISIS, managed to defeat ISIS forces and drive them out of the city in a two-month operation. Now that the Islamic State group is no longer in Manbij, the question is: what was the situation of the residents of Manbij during the time ISIS was in the city? How did ISIS members treat the people of the city? In this context, Radio Farda spoke with an Arab woman inside Manbij. Her name is "Alia" and she is a resident of Manbij. "Your city has been free from ISIS for a few days now. How do you feel?" "We were suffocating before. But now we are breathing fresh air. Like someone who has been imprisoned and then released. They had besieged us for 40 days. They beat us. They kept us hungry and thirsty. You couldn't breathe. When ISIS was in the city, how did they treat you, the residents of Manbij? "We were like prisoners. If anyone said a wrong word, they would cut off their head. They wouldn't let us breathe. They would behead people in the squares and roundabouts." Did you see someone beheaded up close? "Yes. Yes. They did this in all the squares and roundabouts. This was not right. We were all afraid. God forbid anyone experience this. It is forbidden. By God, it is forbidden, isn't it? People had become fed up with this situation. We were surrounded by them everywhere. ISIS had expelled some families from their homes and then planted mines in their houses. They had mined our house. They had mined our neighbor's house too. We cannot return to our home. They were mining our houses in front of our eyes. A little girl was killed due to a mine explosion. Why do they do this? Isn't it forbidden? They said to leave your homes. When they were mining it, we asked: why are you doing this? They replied: so that you do not return to your homes again. Isn't this forbidden? Have you personally faced any incidents? "I am an adult woman. They told me I had no right to go outside. They said: you must cover your head and also cover your eyes. If you don't do this, you will lose your eyes. As one of the thousands of women from Manbij, what do you wish or hope for now? "That when I go outside, there will be no trace of ISIS's oppression left on anyone. May God bring joy to all those who played a role in the liberation of Manbij. May God bring joy to the martyrs of the liberation of Manbij." At the end, Alia specifically addresses the women of her city and says: "To the women who were afraid to go outside, I say: do not be afraid! Come outside. Do not be afraid anymore! I was one of those who was always afraid. Now I thank God that people can move freely."