Anas al Tarseh, a 17 year old from the Malaab area of Homs died on 24th February 2012 in the Qarabees area of Homs. He died from a mortar attack whilst helping casualties who were earlier hit by a mortar attack. Anas, who was also known as Anas al Homsi, was a well known citizen journalist and videographer in the city of Homs and repeatedly risked his life to show the world what's happening in the city of Homs.
The following is one of Anas's videos taken earlier this month:
May he rest in peace; to the highest heaven Inshallah.
One of those who lost their lives yesterday in the neighbourhood of Baba Amr in the central city of Homs, a city that has given around 3,000 martyrs, is Rami Al-Sayed. Rami Al-Sayed has been one of the most active citizen-journalists in Baba Amr in Homs, where he has documented many of the human rights violations and military assaults on the Baba Amr neighbourhood in defiance to the complete media blackout imposed by the Syrian regime. His videos have been posted on Youtube under the name ‘Syrian pioneer’.
In the last message he wrote on Monday morning, he said that Baba Amr was and still is subjected to genocide and that the world and people everywhere should act to stop the mass massacre. Hours later, he lost his life after the car he was travelling in (along with a family of four, all of whom died) was hit by a shell whilst heading to a field hospital. He bled to death in the make-shift hospital in the distressed neighbourhood. The medical staff, all of whom knew him personally, could do nothing to save his life nor could they smuggle him outside the besieged neighbourhood for treatment.
His brother recalls "From the first days of the revolution he wanted a camera to record Assad's crimes." Another brother, Basil, died just months before him; he too recorded the atrocities in Homs. Now the family has lost two amazing brothers.
Since 15th March 2011, thousands of men have died in Syria. Among them was Dr. Maher al-Sarraj, a 48 year old engineer from Homs, a city that has given nearly 3,000 martyrs since the start of the revolution. Maher obtained his Ph.D from France before working at the University of Homs in the Department of Metallurgy. Two weeks ago, on 6th February, Maher was shot outside his home. Though when his neighbour, Fadi al-Atassi, tried to help him, he too was shot and killed. May our martyrs rest in peace, to the highest heavens Inshallah.
Among those children who have died in Syria recenly is Hamza Bakkour, a teenage boy from Homs. During the intense bombing and shelling that the neighbourhood of Bab Amr of Homs has seen last week, Hamza had his jaw blown off after a bullet that shot him exploded in his jaw. For 2 days, Hamza suffered before he was announced dead. May he rest in peace. Allah yerhamo, to the highest heaven Inshallah.
The following video shows Hamza after his jaw blown off (EXTREMELY GRAPHIC VIDEO!):
