Aleppans react to war’s third anniversary

THREE-YEAR ITCH: To mark the three years since the Syrian uprising began, civilian activists did a series of man-on-the-street in the Aleppan neighborhood of Bustan al-Qaser.

A string of residents dodged the camera and microphone while others reacted to questions about their feelings toward the revolution now by saying “I don’t know.”

Among those who answered, opinions varied. “Who can be happy in this crisis?” said an old man working at his shop selling odds and ends. Another young man held up his right arm for the camera, which was missing the hand. “I’ll fight you, Bashar, with my other hand,” he told the camera. Continuing to address the Syrian president, he said: “You’re hitting us with air strikes, you’re hitting us with everything, Russia is with you – but I swear to God, we’ll get you.”

Pro-regime news agency Sama reported on Thursday that Syrian Army units killed dozens of “terrorists” and “destroyed their vehicles in Aleppo and its suburbs.” The report also mentions that regime forces targeted “terrorist groups” in the area surrounding Aleppo Central Prison.

In same context, the Syrian Observatory reported fierce clashes between regime forces against Jabhat a-Nusra, supported by Islamist battalions in the neighborhoods of Industrial City and Sheikh Najjar in Aleppo province.

Elsewhere in Aleppo, the battles are continuous between regime forces and rebel fighters to break the blockade against Aleppo Central Prison by Jabhat a-Nusra and Islamic Front’s Ahrar a-Sham. The regime forces are still seven kilometers from reaching the Central Prison, which holds regime soldiers and their prisoners inside.

Aleppo has witnessed several important events since the uprising started, including the first peaceful demonstration against the Assad regime and Baath Party on March 25, 2011. After that, demonstrations became regular daily or weekly events in Aleppo neighborhoods. When these demonstrations widely expanded in Aleppo, the regime started targeting the neighborhoods with military force.

-March 13, 2014

Video Courtesy of Aleppo News Network.

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