FEATURE - Syrian Couple Flees Idlib To Keep Last Child Out Of Terrorists' Hands

HAMA (Syria) (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The situation on the border between Syria's Idlib and Hama provinces has been calm since the results of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were made public.

The only thing that remained unchanged is the reality experienced by civilians in cities and settlements controlled by numerous armed groups, foreign mercenaries and the Jabhat al Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia).

On Monday, Putin and Erdogan met in the Russian resort city of Sochi and signed an agreement on setting up a 9-12 mile demilitarized zone in Idlib along the contact line of the armed opposition and the government forces by October 15.

A Sputnik correspondent talked to a couple who fled Idlib province for Hama for fear of losing their youngest son after militants took away their two other children by force several months ago.

Our correspondent agreed to meet with the Syrian family at one of the schools, which is currently accommodating refugees from different parts of Syria. The headmaster, who manages the accommodation center for internally displaced persons, walked the correspondent through the school's building and got him to a room where they could talk quietly.

The room was what used to be an ordinary classroom, but three mattresses, two chairs, a stool and a table were all that remained of furniture. The environment did not seem to be one of learning.

Hama is one of few major cities in Syria that managed to avoid terrorists' raids and looting. You can hardly see any buildings with traces of bullets or derelict districts abandoned due to effects of war in this city. But Hama did witness the destruction earlier than the rest of Syria. In the early 1980s, the clandestine movement of Muslim Brotherhood (banned in Russia) attempted an armed rebellion against the country's authorities, which was cracked down on by the country's forces.

Today, the Muslim Brotherhood's followers under the flags of affiliates of Al-Qaeda (terrorist organization banned in Russia) as well as the representatives of so-called free army are controlling the entire province of Idlib, which has become a host for militants who rejected reconciliation with the Syrian authorities and were transported to the province from the country's liberated areas.

Our interview comes just several after the situation on the contact line between the Syrian army and armed groups de-escalated. The environment in the area used to be critically tense, with the two parties deploying additional forces to the region in anticipation of a final battle. Terrorists used to carry out provocations on a daily basis, shelling positions of the Syrian army, civilian settlements and Hama's outskirts.

Ahmad Muhannad, his wife Rasha and their son Muhammad are one of the thousands of families who have not managed to leave Idlib in 2015, when the city fell under the terrorists' control. The family decided to stay home in the hope that terrorists would not stay in the area long, but also simply due to the fact that they had nowhere else to go.

However, they were eventually pushed to leave.

"Four months ago, armed men came to our house and took away our elder son and daughter. They have been taken to a children's camp. Boys are being taught radical ideology there, while girls are being prepared for marriage to militants," Ahmad said as tears were flowing down his tanned, wrinkled face.

His eyes were full of despair and fear. His wife indicated that when she inquired about the fate of their children for the last time, she was publicly flogged.

"They said: 'Your children are gone!' Can you imagine what it feels like to hear something that like about your children?" Rasha asked.

According to Ahmad, militants have set up hundreds of tent camps on the border with Turkey.

"I do not even know where exactly they have taken our children to. They are being taught there how to fight as well as a perverse interpretation of islam." Ahmad abruptly broke from his story to search for his younger son.

The boy who heard children's voices outside managed to get out of the room without being seen. His parents were clearly frightened. Rasha rushed out of the room ready to search for the boy, but immediately found him in the stairwell accompanied by other carefree children.

The Muhannads were an average looking family: Ahmad used to work as an electrician, while Rasha took care of the house and children.

"We had enough money to live on. From time to time militants made us work for them for free. Since I am not a militant and nobody in our family is a member of [extremist] groups, they forced us to pay jizya [historically a tax for non-Muslims], but we had no money to pay it," Ahmad said.

According to Ahmad, the family only had money for food � mainly rice, beans, pasta � while meat was a luxury they could not afford.

There have been more and more rumors about child abductions in Idlib recently. According to the Muhannads, terrorists wanted to use children in the filming of a staged chemical attack.

"Such filming has already become a routine matter. We were startled by reports that this time terrorists plan to poison people with chlorine in order to make the video materials more credible. About a month ago I was approached by a guy from our village, who is a member of a gang belonging to local militia. He warned me that Jabhat al Nusra would come for Muhammad. And after that we decided to flee," Ahmad indicated.

Few people are willing to take a family out of Idlib for free. Ahmad eventually found a smuggler, who agreed to transport the family from Idlib in exchange for Rasha's wedding ring, whose value was estimated at about $150.

"The thing that frightens me most is the fact that we, apparently, will never see our children if terrorists are not destroyed in the near future. Now we need to return to Aleppo, where our relatives should have remained. This will also ensure the safety of our son and definitely enable us to find work," Ahmad indicated.

IDLIB OFFENSIVE NEVER TO HAPPEN

Earlier in the week, Putin and Erdogan agreed on a peaceful solution to the situation with militant-controlled Idlib. Turkey now will have to address a challenging task and divide radical groups into armed opposition and Jabhat al Nusra terrorists. Meanwhile, the lives of civilians are likely to retain the norms of distorted shariah law brought by militants for some time.

Syrian politicians, experts and ordinary citizens welcomed the news about solution, which should, first of foremost, prevent bloodshed that is inevitable in a military scenario.

Families like the Muhannads can only hope that the peace arrangements will bring back their children and create an opportunity to live in their own homes without fear.