Since the war in Syria began in 2011 more than 12 million of its citizens (over half of its pre-war population) have been displaced. With global interest in the war having waned in recent years, remaining concerns about the Syrian people tend to focus on the relatively small number of refugees who have attempted to reach Europe. However nearly half of all displaced Syrians still reside in Syria, with the overwhelming number of refugees left languishing and forgotten in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey.
What’s more, Idlib in northern Syria, is one of the few parts of the country that has not been recaptured by the Assad regime, but nearly a decade of war has taken an extreme toll on its inhabitants, with Coronavirus, continued fighting, and economic collapse creating a perfect humanitarian storm that has left Idlib in its most desperate circumstances of the war, with millions facing immanent risk of starvation, exposure to the elements, and perhaps another mass movement of people from the region like the world has not seen since 2015.
Nour Qurmosh grew up in Idlib and continues to work there delivering aid to his fellow citizens. At 23 years old, Nour has spent the past 9 years living under Syria’s civil war. He gives us a rare glimpse into what nearly a decade of brutal violence has looked like to someone who has lived through all of it. His account is personal, frank, and possibly upsetting. It also speaks for itself.
Cited in this episode:
Mercy Corps Report
World Vision Report
The Guardian
