Reports | 25 05 2020
Following the death of his brother due to a bombardment by the Syrian regime forces of Hama; Mahmoud left his position in one of the government administrations, and returned to his village in search of work that would help him support his wife and four children.
He opted not to carry arms, or anything of the sort. The man rather decided to buy himself a fishing rod, and started to make a daily trip to the lake near the town of Qal’et al-Madiq in the Western Hama countryside. He leaves in the early morning hours, only returning towards the end of the day with his family’s sustenance in hand.
"This a profession can support my children, without me having to ask anyone for assistance," says Mahmoud. He adds that his lot is similar to dozens of people in Hama’s north-western and northern countryside; in the absence of relief support to the region, by [relief] bodies and organizations.
Mahmoud is one of many former [state] employees from the Hama region under the control of the opposition, who simply left their jobs, due the shelling, displacement, and clashes that their areas are witnessing. Many of them have lost family members and returned to their villages, forced to find any work or profession to help them make ends meet.