Syria was once viewed as the political and economical heaven of the Middle East. However, in 2012, as civil war erupted and caused the country to bow on its knees, it was left in ruins. Half of the country’s population was forced to be either displaced or seek refuge in other countries. According to the United Nations in April 2016, it was estimated that about 400,000 civilians have died because of the war.
Today, the cities and towns of Syria are in pieces. Here are a few pictures that will be hard for you to forget!
Umayyad Mosque, one of the largest, is a historical Islamic landmark and a world heritage site. It was established in the Umayyad period in Aleppo, the oldest city in history. The mosque has suffered great damage during the Syrian civil war, resulting in the destruction of its parts and the collapse of its historical minaret.
The Citadel of Aleppo is a large fort that was built in the 3rd millennium BC. It is considered to be the oldest and largest citadel in the world. The citadel’s smoke in the background can show how it no longer stands proudly looking over Aleppo.
Al-Zabdiya neighborhood, southeast of Aleppo, is one of the oldest known resorts since the 19th century. The city has been subjected to too many incursions. Despite the ceasefire agreement to stop the war, the army came back and bombed it again, leaving it in total destruction.
The Bab Al-Nasr district is one of the 9 historical gates of Aleppo’s old city. It had a key role during the Mamluk’s era; it used to be called ‘the door of the Jews’ because it led to the Jew’s neighborhoods. It was considered to be a point of contact rather than a point of closure.
Aleppo’s Old City is the historic city center of Aleppo with a history spanning over 1000 years. Before the civil war, in 1986, the city was declared to be part of the World Heritage by the United Nations. The civil war and the battles inside the city have destroyed large parts of it displacing a large number of the population.
As 2019 begins, we should keep praying for Syria to get back to being one of the prominent countries in the Middle East again. The region has witnessed enough pain in the past decade; this suffering has to end at some point and we wish that this year be more peaceful to all countries of the region.