Built in 1942, the Old Raqqa Bridge, locally known as Al-Mansour Bridge, is a historic landmark and a vital artery. It connects Raqqa city center to its southern bank and the main highways to Damascus and Aleppo. For decades, it was the primary lifeline for civilian transit and the transport of agricultural products from Raqqa's southern countryside

The bridge suffered catastrophic damage in early 2017 (specifically February 2017) due to airstrikes targeting its structural joints to cut supply lines. Several spans collapsed into the Euphrates River, completely severing the link between the city and its southern rural areas. This forced residents to rely on dangerous water ferries for several years