First football tournament played in Raqqa since ISIL insurgency

Raqqa Municipal Stadium has hosted its first football tournament at the facility in years.

Nicknamed "The Black Stadium" because of its dark concrete construction, the grounds became the scene of harrowing executions during the years of insurgency by the self-proclaimed Islamic State, who converted the premises into a prison.

French Journalist, Omar Ouahmane, attended the game and narrated the match being played between Manbij, in red and white, and Tabqa, in yellow and blue.

"About a hundred supporters and 'friends' convened," he says, while explaining that lines of play were freshly painted for the occasion.

The match marked the start of a tournament involving teams from Tabqa, Manbij, Deir Ezzor and host city, Raqqa.