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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Syria's refugees: Mahmoud Saber | Syria's refugees: Mahmoud Saber |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| From Homs, western Syria />Now Tabqa, Syria />Displaced Six months ago | |
| I'm from Der Ba'alba in Homs. The Syrian army stormed our district with tanks and soldiers, raiding houses looking for men. They were killing everything in their way. I and my family, which is made up of 12 people, had to flee our district to escape the killing, along with many other families in our district. | I'm from Der Ba'alba in Homs. The Syrian army stormed our district with tanks and soldiers, raiding houses looking for men. They were killing everything in their way. I and my family, which is made up of 12 people, had to flee our district to escape the killing, along with many other families in our district. |
| We went to the al-Sahel district and stayed for a week. It is east of Homs but the army came to that district too, and fighting broke out between the soldiers and the rebels. We were stuck between them and the children were so frightened. We moved to another district called Jibab Hamad and we faced the same story. We decided to flee to a liberated area where the Syrian army can't come and turn our life into a hell. | We went to the al-Sahel district and stayed for a week. It is east of Homs but the army came to that district too, and fighting broke out between the soldiers and the rebels. We were stuck between them and the children were so frightened. We moved to another district called Jibab Hamad and we faced the same story. We decided to flee to a liberated area where the Syrian army can't come and turn our life into a hell. |
| We decided to head to Tabqa, which has been entirely liberated by the Free Syrian Army. We could not move to the city by ourselves, but only with the help of the FSA. We were about 20 families. The FSA provided us with big buses and took us through routes where there were no checkpoints. We were worried the Syrian army might find us and arrest us. | We decided to head to Tabqa, which has been entirely liberated by the Free Syrian Army. We could not move to the city by ourselves, but only with the help of the FSA. We were about 20 families. The FSA provided us with big buses and took us through routes where there were no checkpoints. We were worried the Syrian army might find us and arrest us. |
| We also were careful to avoid Alawite villages that support the regime as they all work as security men or shabiha. We could not get anything from our house in Homs, which has now been confiscated by the Syrian army. | We also were careful to avoid Alawite villages that support the regime as they all work as security men or shabiha. We could not get anything from our house in Homs, which has now been confiscated by the Syrian army. |
| When we got to Tabqa, the FSA secured a house for our family. We do not have any money to rent one. We also receive food supplies weekly and monthly from the FSA as well as from the Red Crescent. All the schools are closed in the city and our children are at home. I used to work as a car repairer in Homs and get something like 500 Syrian pounds per day but I've been jobless for few months because of our travelling from one place to another. | When we got to Tabqa, the FSA secured a house for our family. We do not have any money to rent one. We also receive food supplies weekly and monthly from the FSA as well as from the Red Crescent. All the schools are closed in the city and our children are at home. I used to work as a car repairer in Homs and get something like 500 Syrian pounds per day but I've been jobless for few months because of our travelling from one place to another. |
| The only job I could find in Tabqa was joining the FSA, and I did. Now, I get $400 a month to help my family. My father died a long time ago and I'm the only one earning a living in the family. | The only job I could find in Tabqa was joining the FSA, and I did. Now, I get $400 a month to help my family. My father died a long time ago and I'm the only one earning a living in the family. |
| I hope Der Ba'alba in Homs will be liberated soon and we can go back to our house. The situation here is peaceful but life is very difficult and you need lots of money to survive. | I hope Der Ba'alba in Homs will be liberated soon and we can go back to our house. The situation here is peaceful but life is very difficult and you need lots of money to survive. |
| As told to Mona Mahmood | As told to Mona Mahmood |
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