Raqqa is a city located in Syria on the north bank of the Euphrates River. It is situated approximately 160 kilometres east of Aleppo and about 40 kilometres east of the Euphrates Dam, which is the largest dam in Syria. According to the 2021 official census, the city has a population of 531,952, making it the sixth largest city in the country.
The site of Raqqa has a long history, including the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine city and bishopric of Callinicum. Historically, it served as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate between 796 and 809 under the reign of Harun al-Rashid. In more recent history, Raqqa was the capital of the Islamic State from 2014 to 2017.