There is an escape among all the dust. The people advance in groups. Vehicles are filled up up to 3 times their height. People are everywhere, walking. Dust clouds make it hard to see far. The town and villages they leave behind aren’t visible, there is a vague sight behind them.

In the muggy weather and hot wind, women in black niqabs can be seen. A child carries a baby. Everybody is exhausted. There is the mark of exhaustion on children’s faces, their mothers, the young and the old.

Trucks, tractors, cars, motorcycles, all are full, all carry belongings, all are escaping. But they also bring the hope for a new life. This escape through the dust, this fear also signifies a hope, a return to life and rebuilding a life. They are escaping tyranny, violence and a dark night.

Among the people escaping Raqqa, its districts and its villages, 5 people on a motorcycle catch the eye. Two children are tucked in the front, their father or another family member right behind them, and lastly a woman with a child on her left. On another motorcycle, there are 7 people. 2 daughters and the father in the front, two children tucked in the middle and a mother in the back, holding her sleeping baby in her lap tight.

The vehicles and civilians rush to SDF controlled areas on their own or in groups. Throughout the way, security is also provided by the SDF. Blankets, beds, kitchen supplies, the people put whatever they could gather on the vehicles. Some vehicles have stuff piled on their hood. People are seen sitting on top of stuff piled in trailers.

The walkers are not empty handed either. People carry their children on one arm, and their stuff on the other. There are some who brought their animals. Some women have buckets balanced on their heads.

Tens of thousands of civilians have been rescued in the recent months as part of the Wrath of Euphrates operation launched in November 2016. Some managed to run from ISIS cruelty with their own means and others were victims to ISIS bullets and bombs. Thousands are used still by ISIS gangs as human shields.

As of May 13, at least 100 thousand civilians from the Raqqa city center and the surroundings were transported to the safe zones by the SDF. Local NGOs and residents support these civilians but there is a need for international aid as resources are very limited. A significant portion of the civilians are hosted in Ayn Isa camp. There are currently over 20 thousand people there.