Ayn Issa
Ayn Issa
عين عيسى | |
|---|---|
Town | |
A local walks down the streets of Ayn Issa. | |
Ayn Issa Location in Syria | |
| Coordinates: 36°23′7″N 38°51′34″E / 36.38528°N 38.85944°E | |
| Country | Syria |
| Governorate | Raqqa |
| District | Tell Abyad |
| Subdistrict | Ayn Issa |
| Population (2004 census) | |
• Town | 6,730 |
| • Nahiyah | 40,912 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
| P-Code | C5905 |
| Geocode | SY110202 |
Ayn Issa (also Ain Issa; Arabic: عين عيسى, "Eye of Jesus"; Kurdish: Bozanê) is a town in the Tell Abyad District of Raqqa Governorate, Syria. It is located halfway between the Syria–Turkey border town of Tell Abyad and the regional capital Raqqa. Through the city runs the M4 highway connecting Aleppo with the Hasakah Governorate. The town is predominantly Arab, with Kurds comprising approximately 15% of the population.
The town has played a major role as a political center for the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) until 2026. Furthermore, it held significant strategic importance due to its proximity to Raqqa, the former capital of the Islamic State (ISIS), and continues to be strategically relevant as a frontline city in the defense of Kobane following Turkish offensives.