Syrian Children Between Tragedy

Imagine, that the children in these images is your own children...

Nidal

Six-year old Nidal and his sister fled the conflict in Syria because of ongoing shelling and shooting. He was shot at while playing in the street with friends, was chased, and witnessed armed men taking his father away. His father was then killed in the street.

“My name is Nidal.  I am six years old. I left Syria eight days ago. What do I remember? Shelling. And explosions.

“Houses fell, all because of an explosion. Another house was hit and was destroyed completely. There were people inside. [My grandma’s] house is filled with bullet holes, even the steel doors were broken.”

“Men were running and shooting. A man came to our house, opened the door violently and sat next to our window with his rifle. And they all started shooting. I was scared. I was scared when I saw the fire. I thought maybe the house would burn while we were inside. I thought I was going to die.”

“My message to the world? The war should stop in Syria so we can go back to our country.”

Saba
13-year-old Saba’s home was destroyed by the fighting. She has been unable to go to school or play outside due to the shellings.

“We left Syria because there were lots of explosions but we didn’t want to leave our house. We were injured and we got scared, that is why we left. What do I remember? People being hurt. People dying. In front of my eyes.”

“We were scared the same thing would happen to us. I felt…fear. I would pray that the sky would be cloudy so that planes couldn’t see us to drop shells on us. But the planes were always there.”

“They were hitting schools. Many children died so we got scared and stopped going to school. No children would go to school, it was too dangerous. It makes me sad that I am not going to school.”

“We should stop these shellings. For me, explosions lead to destruction. And more than that – shells injure people and kill people. The only effect is destruction, death and wounded people. My home has been destroyed, we were in it when it was it, and when it fell. I feel as though all of Syria has been destroyed.”

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