Bleeding Homs

“I was there on that ominous day. I was in a visit to one of my old friends. When I heard the strong sound of the explosion I leapt out of the chair and rushed to the balcony to see what’s going on. But before we have understood what is happening another blast was heard in the same place.  I asked my host to lead me to the explosion site. People poured into the street to know what’s going on and to inspect their relatives as well”, Madeeha, an eye witness to the recent two terrorist bombings in Karm Allouz town of Homs, told ST.

She went on wiping her tears with a trembling hand “The place was terribly affected. What has been done is beyond every description. Smoke covers everything … Shock has frozen faces expressions. Remnants of burned bodies were scattered everywhere. Buildings, shops and cars have turned to be piles of dust. The whole place was full of death stench “.

 “All people, men, women and even children were concerned by the event. They work tirelessly to save wounded people under the rubble and inside the burned cars. I’ve heard their groans and muffled cries. Each of them has lost either a son, a father, a daughter or even a whole family “, Madeeha concluded.

Death-seekers have chosen this street on purpose — a vital street which symbolizes life in Homs as it is usually over crowded with people, shops, and doctors’ clinics– to be a target for their unjustified malicious hatred and rancor. 

The next morning, ST headed to check the explosion site. It was a big workshop. All were working to remove the wreckage caused by the explosions. Scores of tears were shedding silently. There was an old man standing next to me watching the work I came near to him and asked him:”why are you crying?” Have you lost someone?” He muffled his sobs and said: “I have lost my city which I love” while walking away from me.

In the surrounding area, I saw a woman who was still in shock shedding bitter tears of sadness and pain.  I approached her attentively asking “why are you crying? All those people are martyrs”. She looked firmly at me and said: “We are proud of our martyrs, but these people were but innocent civilians who were killed in cold blood. They didn’t die in the battlefield. They were killed here in this place where they suppose that they are safe, buying and selling their daily needs. Their only guilt was their love to their city and their genuine will to live and face the black terrorism that threatens their life”.

Siba, a school teacher said: “I have lost my brother in this explosion. My aunt has also lost her two sons. Our old neighbor has lost all his family. Their terrorism will not terrify us. The will of life inside us has turned out to be greater. Our Love for Syria grows deeper and deeper inside our souls “.

A young man said:” The damage is huge and we’ll need a lot of time and effort to overcome this dreadful disaster; yet we have no choice but to trust and believe in our victory and in saving and defending our country against death- devotees and destruction-seekers”.

Amal Farhat