Raqqa Subdistrict
Raqqa Subdistrict or ar-Raqqah Nahiyah, a subdistrict of Raqqa District, is the central area of Raqqa Governorate, including the city of Raqqa and the nearby countryside north of the Euphrates. The subdistrict population at the 2004 census was 338,773, the majority of which living in Raqqa city itself.
The administrative centre is Raqqa. Formerly, much of the subdistrict was controlled by ISIS.
Raqqa Subdistrict is bounded by the Euphrates to the South, Tal Abyad District to the North, and also of Raqqa District: Al-Jarniyah Subdistrict to the West, and Al-Karamah Subdistrict to the East.
Towns and villages
The towns and villages in Raqqa Subdistrict and their populations as at the 2004 census were:- Abbara, pop 1305
- Abu Kabret Al Rashid, pop 686
- Abu Rajab, pop 844
- Abu Suseh, pop 2561
- Adnaniyeh, pop 1931
- Andalus, pop 1000
- Raqqa, pop 220488
- Assadiya, pop 3992
- Atshana, pop 169
- Ayuj, pop 659
- Berani, pop 326
- Big Sweidiyeh, aka Suwaydiya Kabir, pop 6106
- Bir Elhasham, pop 79
- Bir Said, pop 117
- Eastern Khayala, pop 4457
- Faraa, pop 3809
- Fteih, pop 390
- Ghota, pop 2163
- Hadba, pop 602
- Hawi Elhawa, pop 1651
- Hazimeh, pop 3386
- Hettin, pop 2627
- Hfeiret Elsoqur, pop 138
- Hilo Abed, pop 1443
- Htash, pop 455
- Hweijet Faraj, pop 945
- Jalaa, pop 1253
- Kalta, pop 2626
- Kardus, pop 158
- Katuniyeh, pop 3651
- Kdeiran, pop 4697
- Khayala, pop 234
- Kisret Elsheikh Jomaa, pop 2956
- Laqta, pop 529
- Little Sweidiyeh, aka Suwaydiya Saghirah, pop 809
- Marj Abu Shareb, pop 132
- Mashrafa, pop 230
- Milsun, pop 1766
- Moezleh, pop 646
- Qahtaniyeh, pop 2490
- Rabee'a, pop 1906
- Raeqqet Samra, pop 4077
- Rahmaniya, pop 513
- Rashidiyeh, pop 1626
- Rohayat, pop 1355
- Royan, pop 735
- Safyan, pop 395
- Sahl, pop 2772
- Shamiyeh, pop 625
- Sukariyet Tal Elsamen, pop 1967
- Tal Elsamen Dahham, pop 2530
- Talet Elansar, pop 190
- Tawi Rumman, pop 1348
- Thulth Khneiz, pop 846
- Tishrine, pop 1850
- Tweilah, pop 196
- Um Elhweyeh, pop 336
- Upper Khneiz, pop 1101
- Western Kabsh, pop 1272
- Western Sahlabiyeh, pop 3568
- Widyan, pop 831
- Wihdeh, pop 842
- Yaarub, pop 1403
- Yamama, pop 1408
- Yarmuk, pop 3221
- Yathreb, pop 1335
- Zahera, pop 461
- ?, pop 498
- ?, pop 1587
- ?, pop 43
- ?, pop 168
- ?, pop 62
- Dahlan or Dehlan, pop 102
- ?, pop 339
- Drubiyeh, pop 1929
- ?, pop 590
- ?, pop 1796
- ?, pop 95
- ?, pop 1218
- ?, pop 122
- ?, pop 591
- ?, pop 194
- ?, pop 40
- ?, pop 858
- ?, pop 4712
- ?, pop 386
- ?, pop 383
- ?, pop 986
- ?, pop 226
- ?, pop 103
Syrian civil war
During December 2016 the Syrian Democratic Forces drove ISIS out of most of the neighbouring Al-Jarniyah Subdistrict. Early in January 2017 the SDF extended their advance into south-western parts of Raqqa Subdistrict, occupying the area around Bi'r Huwaym / Widyan, and western Sweidiyeh.
The SDF extended their control the north of Raqqa Governorate into Raqqa Subdistrict as far south as the hill Tal Saman, gaining control of Thulth Khneiz and several other villages in November 2016. At that time an elementary school and the water purification system in Sukariyet Tal Elsamen were severely damaged in air raids, and among other casualties one American Special Operations trooper died at Tal Saman. Further gains by the SDF were reported in January 2017 including Abu Suseh, Mashrafa and Ayuj. With the capture of Big Sweidiyeh on 21 January 2017, the SDF were in control of all parts of the nahiyah north of the irrigation canal running from Lake Assad to Tal Saman.