Homs, May 8 (SANA) Residents and activists in Homs commemorated the anniversary of the 2014 forced displacement from the city’s old neighborhoods by the deposed regime, recalling nearly two years of siege and bombardment aimed at silencing the voices of the Syrian revolution.
Residents say the siege of Homs’ Old City, which lasted around 700 days, left deep scars on the city’s collective memory and became one of the defining chapters of the Syrian revolution.
Tariq Badrkhan, a former activist who lived through the siege, said residents endured heavy shelling, food shortages and deteriorating living conditions while remaining committed to demands for freedom and dignity.
He recalled that forces of the deposed regime used artillery, tanks and airstrikes in attempts to retake opposition-held districts, while local volunteers and medics worked with limited resources to treat the wounded and provide basic supplies.
As food supplies dwindled, many residents relied on herbs and wild plants to survive, according to activists who witnessed the siege.
Abdel Mattin Al-Mahbani, another former activist who participated in the revolution against the deposed regime, described the siege as a period marked by fear, hunger and loss, adding that memories of those years remain tied to the sacrifices made by residents and victims of the conflict.
The siege ended in May 2014 with the evacuation of opposition fighters and civilians from Homs’ Old City, a chapter many residents say remains a lasting reminder of the brutality of the deposed regime.
Twelve years later, the anniversary continues to resonate among residents of Homs, who describe the displacement as both a painful memory and a symbol of the city’s resilience in the face of war and destruction.
IZ/A
