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Out of the blue, everything changed

By May 23, 2019 July 5th, 2019 Stories From Idlib
Nazir Abbas

My name is Nazir Abbas from Kafranbel in Idlib rural. An extensive, vicious assault was launched against Idlib and Hama rural using warplanes, helicopters and artillery bombs at the end of April.
On the second day of the aggression, I woke up by an excessive quacking blast that swung the whole village, which was one of over than 50 airstrikes had hit us that day.

I was scared more than anyone anywhere else in the village, scared because my house allocated near the White Helmet Headquarter who are operating all the time to rescue people. My house location made it highly risky because their center has always been a target, unlike other countries where public facilities such as schools, hospitals, and civil defense centers are the number one target.

The safest zones.

You will not believe where I stayed in one night after the military campaign has begun. Apparently, I did not stay at home; it wasn’t safe! Thus, I fled with my family members to hide with the dead people, in the village’s cemetery until late hours that night, because bombs and airstrikes were striking everything in the village none stop.

Attacks continue.

A few hours later, of waiting amongst dead, we headed back home to get around our heads and rest, after the long night of attacks, finally, the intensity decreased, or that what we hoped the rest of the night would be like. 
I woke up after a few hours of our arrival again dismayed by a nearby airstrike. However, my children were fatigued and asleep. 
While they were asleep, I carried them, my three years old Ali and Aya four years old girl, my wife and I ran back to a nearby farm where we laid down under olive trees again.

On incident struck me the most was a tragic loss for our neighbor who has two disabled children, the first was paralyzed and the other suffered from Down syndrome disorder and a young, healthy child named Mohammad whose parents waited for so long; however, in the attacks that night Mohammad has died. The shocking news of his young son death was shocking from everyone who knew them.

Hell.

The raids continued day after day, and the growing intensity was reaching unbelievable levels. In the fifth day of the campaign, I remember the bombardment was going mad. So we escaped the village again and took shelter in a nearby field. These attacks felt like an endless nightmare that will seemingly not end any soon. The attacks were targeting public streets, and stores in the village. 
While we were hiding from the strikes with other families, news started coming of where the bombs have been falling. The shocking part, for me, was when rumors began circulating about attacking the civil defense center near my residence. I panicked as part of my family members stayed at home. The attacks were still intense by then, but I didn’t care, I ran straight back home to check, thankfully none was hurt. 
However, this was the moment when I decided to entirely leave the village in the following morning after the bombardment stops, to somewhere safer for my family and me! It was a nightmare, waiting for the sunset; it felt endless!

Displacement.

Finally, the sun rose and the time for us to leave approached.. saying goodbye to my parents and brothers, was hard moment combined with pain and misery, agony and dilemma, not knowing when or if I will go back. I was devastated because they refused to leave with me; they wanted to live under jets hellfire than staying in the refugee; I cannot stop thinking about them.

Moving on outside the city was equally not safe because warplanes were attacking moving cars on the highway, it was a dangerous adventure itself. The horrid scene was seeing in our way out people of all ages carrying their luggage, young children, women and elderly all running with their lives to the limbo; it was excruciating moments.

Passing across Aleppo western rural, then to Idlib north rural where I rented a room temporarily until the attacks stop. I am in utter grief because my beloved family and friends now still are living under shelling while I’m here in a partially safer place, my heart and soul left them with them before leaving my village.
When I sit every day on the Iftar with only my wife and sons, I feel in pain and sadness for not having my entire family who, I miss them so much, especially it happens to be the first time I live away of my mother whom I didn’t leave ever in my life.
Hundreds of thousands of families were forcibly displaced from their homes in Aleppo and Idlib rural, undergoing crucial life circumstances. Abandoned, living under trees without shelter or even tents to protect them.
I hope people around the world take action and do anything they can to pressurize their government to act and end this onslaught that we are going through. I BELIEVE IN THE FREE NATIONS AND THEIR ABILITY TO RESCUE US.