Reports | 25 05 2020
It would not be difficult to categorize thousands of images in the great Syrian tragedy as “touching,” even shocking; inasmuch as they tell of the nexus between life and death, between pain and hope. The aforementioned notwithstanding, the world comes to a common agreement upon a set of images that have become of historic significance; for, what has been prior to them is not what is after them. Syrians will most certainly remember them later with much pain—and, at times, with hope.
Daesh Executions on the Archaeological Amphitheater
The organization of the Islamic State [ISIS, or Daesh] executed 20 regime soldiers, gunning them down in the archaeological Roman amphitheater in the city of Palmyra, a few days following its control of the ancient city. The organization, at the time, forced the city’s population to witness the execution.
Destruction of the Palmyran Triumphal Arch
Daesh—after booby-tapping the entire are with huge quantities of explosives—destroyed the archeological Triumphal Arch. Prior to that, it also booby-trapped and blew up several of Palmyra’s archeological sites, most notable of which were the age-old Bel and Baalchamin temples.
The Triumphal Arch is one of the most valuable of Palmyra’s numerous monuments, was located at the city’s entrance, and dates back to the second century AD.
Exit Daesh, Re-Enter the Baath…
The images of Kurdish women escaping Daesh-controlled areas in Tal Abiad in Syria by photographer Jacque Shaheen spread around social media in June, creating a huge sensation.
The women’s exultation of coming of the "black," as the photographer calls it, was immeasurable; Daesh’s policies and traditions were ill-suited for these Kurdish women.
Douma’s Market Square Bathed in Blood!
On August 16, 2015, 100 people were killed and 300 were injured, in the city of Douma in the Eastern Ghuta; when the regime’s air force targeted a popular market with a vacuum rocket bomb. At the time, the Syrian Human Rights Committee described the massacre as "the largest in 2015.”
The Image that Shook Us All
Three-year old Alan was located on the beach near the Turkish city of Bodrum, following an unsuccessful crossing to the Greek island of Kos.
The red-and-blue image of Alan, crossed the sea to reach the entire world in a few days, and spreading all over social media.
Cages of Fire!
In the early hours of the morning of November 1, 2015, the Army of Islam placed regime-loyalist prisoners inside steel cages in the streets and atop rooftops in city of Douma in the Damascus countryside; in an attempt to stop the air raids launched by the regime and Russian airforce over the city—according to an official announcement. Regime bombing sorties continued unabated, however; as well as criticism of the Army of Islam for such brutal stunt.
Opposition Fighters Exit the Last of Homs’ Neighborhoods
After more than a year of the exit of the last opposition forces from the areas and neighborhoods of the old city of Homs; only al-Wa’ar neighborhood remained. It was the last of the city’s neighborhoods that had been controlled by the opposition forces. An agreement in this past December, however, those opposed to the content of the agreement were forced to exit towards Idlib [in the north]; thereby signalling the opposition’s final loss of the “Capital of the Revolution.”
The Idlib Massacre... the Fingerprints of the Russian Airforce
More than 50 civilians were killed and 170 injured approximately in a massacre committed by Russian warplanes, in the town of Idlib, on December 20, 2015.
Russian warplanes launched eight morning raids with a slight delay between them, that targeted Idlib’s city center—thereby creating one of the most serious massacres.
The Assassination of Zahran Alloush
The name of Zahran Alloush has been associated with the Eastern Ghuta. The 45-year old was behind the establishment of several military brigades there, before converging the 45-odd brigades and battalions into the so-called "Army of Islam.”
He was, however, later accused of abducting Revolution activists, such as Razan Zaytouneh and her friends. The Ghuta also witnessed demonstrations connected to the hunger crisis in Douma; as well as accusations of being responsible for the mortar shelling of Damascus. He was killed by the Russian airforce raid in December.
Five Months Later… Famine in Madaya
No one in the 21st century could ever have anticipated that a famine would strike an agricultural and self-sufficient country [like Syria]. Still, the images coming out of Madaya indicate a second Somalian famine rearing its ugly head.
Prices are exorbitant; the value of basic foodstuffs is equal to full government employee’s salary. Damascus countryside activists speak of "cases of coma and death" attributable to starvation.
