Syrian woman secretly films everyday life in Raqqa

The woman risked her life to provide the world with images of Islamic State’s everyday life

A mystery woman risked her own life to record a unique video providing rare images of everyday life in the heart of the Islamic State using a camera concealed beneath her niqab.

The extraordinary video was taken in the Syrian city of Raqqa, which has been the ‘capital’ of the militant regime since March, and where music and entertainment is forbidden and everyone is obliged to pray during specific prayer times.

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The video was broadcast by a French TV channel and showed armed men patrolling the streets of Raqqa, a woman in a niqab taking her children to the park and having a rifle on her shoulder.

There is also a terrifying moment when an armed man in a car calls over the woman who was filming and told her that she has to ‘behave better’ in public.

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And for what reason? Because her face could be seen, which is forbidden by the militants’ interpretation of Islam law.

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She apologises and the man responds: ‘You have to pay attention by covering up. God loves women who are covered.’

After a while the woman enters an internet cafe where women are seen talking in French and contacting their family members. It is believed that these women had left their home to join voluntarily the ranks of ISIS.

One woman tells her mother: ‘I am not going back, mom. I am telling it to you bluntly. You have to get it through your head that I am not returning. I did not take the risk by coming here to go back to France. I do not want to return because I am doing well here mom. There is nothing to gain from weeping or being afraid.’

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