Syrian civilians, who have endured the constant bombings of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad as well as the threat of DAESH, preferring to stay home, are finally being forced to leave for good, after Russia joined the brutal conflict.
Five years of war in Syria, which has displaced millions, has driven those who chose to stay in the country to desperation, after Russia began launching airstrikes in September to assist the regime forces. Russia's declared intention was to fight terrorist groups that have taken hold in its Middle Eastern ally, but sooner rather than later, Russian warplanes began indiscriminately firing on civilian targets, according to local sources, killing scores of civilians.
Many Syrians concerned over increasing attacks on civilians recently took shelter in Turkey. Reyhanlı, a border town in Turkey's Hatay province, which hosts at least 95,000 Syrians who fled their country, is the main destination for the latest wave of refugees.
Heife Khalid Suleiman, 27, was among the refugees who arrived in Turkey 20 days ago from Syria's Hama. Suleiman, a father of four, said they resisted the Assad regime's attacks for years and never thought about leaving the country but the situation recently became "unbearable." "We got used to the attacks but Russia's bombings were so intense that we had to migrate. I lost many relatives in the attacks and I decided to travel here to protect my family," he said.
Mahmad al-Abdali from Syria's Aleppo now lives in an abandoned warehouse in Reyhanlı where he took shelter with nine members of his family. The 60-year-old man said he went through difficult times but persisted. "Assad has been attacking us for years but we endured, because it is hard for one to leave his homeland," said al-Abdali, who traveled for days on foot to reach Turkey with few possessions. He added that he lost three children due to Russian bombings. "I buried them in Syria and took the rest of my family with me. This was our last option. May God punish those inflicting this pain on us. My only wish now is to return home one day and visit the graves of my children," he said.
Varda Abdelaziz, another Syrian refugee from Aleppo, said he and his family feel lucky to have survived and flee into Turkey. "My country is in ruins. First Assad [forces] then Russia destroyed Syria," he said.
Saleh Khidr, who claimed to have lost seven relatives in Russian airstrikes, said he couldn't believe he is still alive. "The attacks never ceased. We couldn't get out of our home for days. I had to come here for the safety of my children," the father of five said.
