City of Ghosts (2017)

Directed by: Matthew Heineman | 92 minutes | documentary

In the beginning of ‘City of Ghosts’ we see images of the Syrian city of Raqqa in the so-called Arab Spring of 2012. A reasonably prosperous provincial city on the Euphrates, which was taken over by youthful ‘party animals and troublemakers’ (according to resident and voice-over Aziz). , turns into a front city in the fight against the Assad regime. In 2017, Raqqa is known to be the capital of the caliphate of IS.

More is not necessary to explain the Syrian problem to the average news follower. What ‘City of Ghosts’ brings is an insider’s account of IS activities in Raqqa during the chaos that followed the Arab Spring. IS ‘almost immediately cut Raqqa off from the outside world’, so it sounds. Aziz and his friends soon discovered that ‘IS is not a normal militant group’, and their movement ‘Raqqa is being slaughtered silently’ (RBSS) was born. With the aim of showing the outside world what is happening in their city.

In ‘City of Ghosts’ we see decapitated bodies on the street within fifteen minutes. The activists decide to flee Raqqa when it turns out that they too are counted among the enemies of IS. Since then, RBSS has been fighting ‘against the most dangerous organization in the world’. How? By keeping in touch with friends and family left behind. They are the source of an unusual form of journalistic reporting, usually colored by western eyes and/or propaganda.

IS puts photos and names online of the fled activists, who operate from a ‘safehouse’ in Cologne. Feeling guilty for their flight, Aziz and his friends continue. IS is portrayed as a cruel organization that tries to get a grip on the population, including the refugees, using modern digital means. They cannot go back and know that their loved ones in Raqqa are suffering. However, they also have smartphones. IS makes ‘Hollywood-like productions’ to stir up the fight.

A ‘media war’, according to voice-over Aziz, from a group that ‘represents an Islam I don’t know’. The IS videos are an added value, because they are rarely shown in our regions. ‘City of Ghosts’ is also professionally made, and does a good job of clarifying how displaced the activists are. These young men could be counted among the perpetrators of the Cologne New Year’s Eve by native westerners, you think as the devil’s advocate. Even so, they are educated guys who would like to offer you a place to sleep on the basis of this film.

The viewer should not expect much more news, other than the makers, we may have become blasé because of the terrorism reporting since 9/11. In Raqqa, IS appears to have won the local civil war and is perpetuating its rule with terror. In the light of world history, this is not so remarkable, but it must be seen. If only because IS seems to have enough appeal to win souls in the western world as well. If children are taught to decapitate stuffed animals – as shown, the people of Raqqa deserve all our attention.