Syrian army soldier posts photo of daily rations: “The joke continues”

A Syrian army soldier posted a picture of his daily ration on Sunday to the Facebook page “Demand to discharge Group 102 from the Syrian Arab Army,” a group for enlisted Syrian army soldiers who are serving three years past the end of their mandatory service.

“The joke continues… for the heroic, brave, victorious, fearless, selfless soldier, breaker of world records of number of days in service, guard shifts, battles, missions and injuries. This is the food for an entire day: three pieces of bread…a potato (not at all moldy) and an egg,” read the post, adding that he took the picture because the ration that day was supplemented with the egg and potato.

The post ended with a sarcastic note of thanks: “Thank God for everything, thank you my homeland, thank you for giving to us as we have given for the homeland.”

The Facebook group was created in 2014 with an accompanying social media campaign “It’s my right to be discharged.” Syria Direct covered the group’s emergence this past January, reporting that it was “started by soldiers and regime loyalists weary of long military tours stretching up to five years.”

Group 102 refers to soldiers who began their mandatory military service in 2010.

The Facebook page states that the group was founded “not because of our lack of love for the homeland and its defense, but for the sakes of the unknown soldiers who have sacrificed themselves. Now it is someone else’s turn to do so.”

-Photo courtesy of Nader Sino