Raqqa Internal Security Forces

The Raqqa Internal Security Forces (short: RISF) are a police unit that was formed in 2017 by the Syrian Democratic Forces, supported by the United States and Jordan, to handle the security in southern Raqqa Governorate, including Raqqa city, after the region's conquest from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The US provides the majority of funding for the force and considers it to be part of the Syrian opposition.

History


On 17 May 2017, the Raqqa Internal Security Forces (RISF) were established as new police unit, with the first training course being set up in Ayn Issa. The first 50 recruits were all Arab men and women, some of them former members of the Asayish, and trained by U.S. and Jordian instructors "on how to conduct patrols, diffuse disputes, deal with car bombs and suicide bombers, and how to man a checkpoint". After the graduation of this first batch of police officers, the unit was gradually expanded, also recruiting Kurds; the long-term goal for the unit is to have at least 3,000 members in order to enforce law and order in Raqqa and restore stability.

The RISF further expanded on 20 July, as 250 more recruits finished their training; by this point, the unit had around 800 members and was already policing various areas in the Raqqa Governorate. By early August, 230 additional recruits graduated and joined the force, bringing it to around 850 members. Further 320 recruits completed their training in August. By 16 August, the RISF was around 80% Arab and 20% Kurdish according to CJTF–OIR.

RISF also began to release ISIL members from prison who had only worked with, and not fought for, the organization. These pardons were facilitated by the Raqqa Civil Council, which wanted to gain the support of Raqqa Governorate's population, much of which had cooperated with or at least tolerated ISIL.