RAQA, Syria: To fast or not to fast? For the first time in years, Syrians in Raqa can choose to observe a relaxed Ramadan, without the rigid regulations imposed by the Islamic State group and their religious police. A man sells pickled vegetables at a market in the Syrian city of Raqa on May 17, 2018, during the holy month of Ramadan. "We are free to fast or not," says Ahmad al-Hussein, a resident of the northern Syrian city that was the inner sanctum of IS's self-styled "caliphate." - 'People are free' -Already, Ramadan feels different, with those opting not to fast eating publicly without fear of retribution.

Source: Bangkok Post May 20, 2018 03:56 UTC