Syria – Al-Tadamon massacre brings back memories of other massacres Syrians lived through

Location: Hama and Idlib – Syria

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:06:32

Sound: Normal

Source: A24 subscribers

Restrictions: A24 clients

Dateline: 05/05/2022

Storyline

The world is still in shock over leaked photos and video clips of the massacre that took place in Al-Tadamon neighborhood in southern Damascus, where members of the district’s military intelligence division (division 227) killed 280 civilians. The division members led the civilians to Al-Tadamon neighborhood, executed them one by one and threw them in a previously prepared pit to be burned. The perpetrator took video clips of the massacre as documentation of their horrifying crime. This was not the first nor the last in a series of massacres committed by Syrian Regime forces and state sponsored Shabiha militia. The photos of the massacre brought back memories of other massacres that Syrians lived through especially ones that took place in Ltamenah, Halfaya and Wadi Badmaya in Hama and Idlib.  Such massacres were committed during the first years of the revolution that was not in possession of any weapons and extremist groups were not present. Victims were civilians who took out to the streets in protest of the regime and were killed in a field execution for violating state laws. Survivors of these massacres demand the International Community to take a stand against these crimes to prevent them and punish perpetrators.

Shotlist

Soundbite (Adeeb Al-Shay – Survivor of Ltamenah massacre):

            “Ltamenah massacre happened on 07/04/2012. The army broke into the city at dawn with tanks and surrounded the area. We thought the purpose behind the army’s action was to seize wanted people, armed rebels or organizers of demonstrations. The army entered a neighborhood south of the city, when they came out we went and saw the massacre, everyone was dead including a 7-month old girl named Sidra who was stabbed to death in the chest. At that time, Walid Muallem stated through State media that the girl was a doll, not a real child. The massacre of 63 people was at the hands of Syrian Regime forces and state sponsored Shabiha militia that consists of people from the neighboring villages of Ltamenah. This massacre was the first in Ltamenah, many other massacres followed. After uncovering Al-Tadamon massacre and the leaked video clips, it’s obvious to us that all massacres are the same. We demand the International Community to punish the perpetrators.”

Soundbite (Agheed Rajab – Survivor of Halfaya massacre):

            “We all saw the video clips of Al-Tadamon massacre, which opened old wounds and reminded us of other massacres committed by sectarian militias. We lived through many massacres but the one that affected me the most happened on 09/11/2012. Sectarian militias entered Halfaya farmlands and killed 17 people by shooting them with a bullet to the head in a field execution. We were there but managed to escape, those who couldn’t escape were gathered by the militia, lined up near a cliff and shot in the head. The militia took took possession of the dead bodies and transported them to Hama.”

Soundbite (Hassan Ghraibi – Survivor of Wadi Badmaya massacre):

            “I am from Kafar Aweed in Idlib and survivor of Wadi Badmaya massacre that involved the killing of 100 people. When the army entered the village, every demonstration participant whose name was listed by the army escaped in fear of being arrested including those who defected from the army. We escaped to Qoqfin village, but the next day we received a tip that the army will invade the village. We left at 9 in the morning and hid in Wadi Badmaya near Qoqfin village. Military column equipped with heavy weapons including tanks, BM vehicles and DShK machine guns, surrounded the area and started shooting at us. I was with my five cousins, three were killed along with my brother. There was a group next to us, one of them lifted his white shirt indicating surrender and the army stopped shooting. 20 of our group who were civilians and mostly university students walked towards the army. As soon as they reached the army, they were handcuffed behind the back and shot in the head. The dead bodies were mutilated. That’s how the massacre took place 20/12/2011. I was shot in the hand, near my eye, behind my ear and in the belly. Al-Tadamon massacre was no the first nor will be the last. There are other massacres that have not been uncovered by the media yet. We hope the International Community will put a stop to Iranian militias that are still killing people in Syria.”