Homs, June 5 (SANA) Residents of Qusayr and local community organizations in the Homs countryside organized a stand on Friday in commemoration of the “Gap of Death” martyrs, who were killed while leaving the city after it was overrun by forces of the deposed regime and its supporting militias in 2013.
The commemoration included a public gathering in Sayyida Aisha Square and a cultural event held in the city’s cultural center, with the participation of official and community figures.
The event featured speeches, personal testimonies, and contributions from writers, journalists, and poets, as well as theatrical performances depicting the experiences of residents during the displacement and the humanitarian suffering associated with that period.
Participants gave testimonies recalling the displacement and forced eviction they endured in 2013, stressing the need to document the events and preserve them in the national memory to ensure justice for victims.
Qusayr District Director Hassan Mohieddine told SANA that residents are marking this anniversary for the second year since liberation, reaffirming their ability to overcome the effects of displacement, injustice, killing, and destruction, and to rebuild their city despite everything it has endured.
Ahmad Seifo, a member of the National Transitional Justice Authority, said the Authority attaches particular importance to the Qusayr file as part of its efforts to establish the truth, document violations committed in the city, and pursue accountability for those responsible.
He said those efforts are intended to support justice, prevent the recurrence of similar violations, and strengthen civil peace.
Mohammad Raad, one of the event’s organizers, said residents are committed to preserving the memory of the occasion to ensure that the suffering and human losses endured by the city during that period remain documented and remembered.
It is worth noting that the city of Qusayr witnessed a massacre in 2013 carried out by the deposed regime and Hezbollah militias, which led to the displacement of a large number of its residents. Many of its people later returned after years of displacement, marking the beginning of reconstruction efforts and the restoration of life in the city following its liberation.
MHD
