Image Source:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Alan-Kurdi-close-up-Photo-Niluefer-Demir-DHA_fig2_340164615
I'd first wondered how horrible everyday life in Syria would be like after the pictures of 3-yr-old Alan Kurdi went viral over the media. Jogging your memory will help to remember that Alan Kurdi's dead body was washed up the shore of Bodrum in Turkey when the dinghy he and his family were traveling capsized in the Mediterranean sea in Sept 2015.
Image Source: https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/russia-may-be-more-willing-to-cooperate-to-end-syria-civil-war-us-envoy-says/news
This moved me enough to move to read about the plight of Syrian refugees when the following year a picture of another boy covered in dust and half of the face covered in blood came up. He was Omran Daqneesh who was rescued from a building during airstrikes in Aleppo in 2016. This made me ponder further if anyone else might have considered reading into what everyday life in Syria looks like?
Image Source: https://www.thequint.com/news/world/picture-of-5-year-old-victim-aleppo-bombings-is-fake-bashar-asma-al-assad-omran-daqneesh-syria-forged-white-helmets#read-more
Reel back to 2011, when the alleged protests against the Bashar-al-Assad led government started in Syria. The government faced challenges when nationwide protests erupted given to serious issues such as severe unemployment, corruption, and no political freedom. The population demanded clear democracy whereas the government resorted to violence to suppress the protests. Police, military, and paramilitary forces were used in full force to stop the anti-government protests. President Assad had succeeded his father Hafez after his death in 2002 and it had been more of a dictator-regime than democracy.
In response to the violence, several opposition groups and militias started popping up. In 2012, the protests had been blown into a full-scale civil war. Soon, the war did not remain between the anti-government militia and the Syrian government. Different countries began taking sides and supplying arms, ammunition, and support which then evolved the war into a global political issue. The war took an even worst turn when terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS took part.
As per UN reports, more than half of Syria's pre-war population of 22 million has been displaced. Out of this, 6.7 million people have reported being internally displaced while 5.6 million people fled the country to become refugees abroad. The neighboring countries of Turkey, Lebanon, Greece, and other European countries have been hosting hundreds and thousands of refugees since the war started with Turkey hosting 93% of them as per UN reports. About 13.4 million people in Syria require humanitarian support and more than 12 million struggle to find enough food each day is what the UN says.
Image Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35806229
If this was not enough to suffer that outbreak of Covid-19 simply worsened the situation. Talking of other damage, cultural heritage sites in Syria have been affected by regular shelling and bombing. Sites like the ancient city of Palmyra and other UNESCO heritage sites lie shattered. When I scoured the internet for stories, videos, and articles what I understood was that cities under government's control were relatively normal appearing. Damascus and region around it enjoyed a normal night life, bazzars buzzing with people, large shopping malls, and vegetable markets full of safe, happy looking people thriving. Whereas cities in northern Syria- Aleppo, Raqqa, and Idlib suffer from terrible violence and stretches of demolished buildings.
Videos and pictures from different articles show the extent of destruction and desolation the civil war has brought to the civilians of Syria. All the eyes can see is demolished buildings and deserted cities in a video from a aforeigner travelling in Syria. Most of the cities, towns, and villages appear deserted and those few who've remained behind have a permanent fear in their eyes. Although living in the constant fear, the local people are seen striving to carry on their business. Whereas, reports and videos from refugee camps show an even dire condition. People are seen striving for two square meals and normal living necessities are a quest for life. Some of them have been documented saying they've no dreams left for their future if they happen to survive through the end of the war.
As I finish writing this post, only God knows how many more might have been killed or fled the country or even captured by the terrorist groups.