For Syrians In Rebel Areas, Russian Airstrikes Add To Their Misery
Source: PBS
Russia's offensive in support of the Syrian government has managed to do what seemed impossible: It's made life even more dangerous for many Syrians. These are people in areas controlled by rebels who want to cast off the four-decade rule of the Assad family.
Abdel Rahman al-Yehiya is an archaeologist in Syria's rebel-held province of Idlib. He's long since severed ties with the government antiquities ministry, which he says is corrupt, and committed himself to preservation work in rebel-held areas. He and his family are sticking it out under daily bombardments. His 5-year-old daughter, Mariam, comes and sits on his lap while we Skype.
Yehiya says that in his area, they formed their own local government with courts and organized departments. But as Russian bombing got worse this week, the schools closed and the kids are at home. His daughter can already tell the difference between Syrian military planes and the Russian aircraft now in the skies. Her father asks, "Where do we hide when the planes come?"
"In the caves! In the caves!" she squeals. Until a week ago, Yehiya thought the Assad regime was on its last legs, that it wasn't strong enough to go on the offensive anymore. But now, with Russian air support, government forces have been launching ground attacks into rebel-held areas in the neighboring province. Yehiya accuses the Russians of striking a World Heritage Site popularly known as the Dead Cities, where impoverished, displaced families have taken shelter in hopes that the ancient archaeological ruins, dating back nearly 2,000 years, will be spared the bombardments.
Read more: http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/10/08/446833239/for-syrians-in-rebel-areas-russian-airstrikes-add-to-their-misery
Russia is bombing war refugees hiding in a protected World Heritage Site.
= new reply since forum marked as read
