Treading carefully, Syrians return to post-Daesh Al-Bab

By Kemal Karagoz and Halit Suleiman

AL-BAB, Syria

As the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) combs for landmines and booby-traps in recently recaptured Al-Bab, some local families who escaped Daesh’s grip have begun returning to their homes.

FSA fighters are warning returnees to tread cautiously when reentering their homes due to the proliferation of Daesh-planted bombs and booby-traps.

During the recent fighting in Al-Bab, the town’s Cenar Hatar Hatap Mosque was severely damaged, outraging many residents.

“Daesh wanted us to leave the town,” local resident Gowad Abu Samra told Anadolu Agency. “Those who objected were threatened with death.”

Daesh has “nothing to do with Islam”, Abu Samra said, thanking all those who contributed to Al-Bab’s liberation from the terrorist group.

Fayyed Rahman, a father of eight, said he and his family were trapped in their home when the battle for Al-Bab began last week.

“We survived for 10 days without any supplies,” he recalled. “When we refused to abandon our home, I was mercilessly beaten.”

Rahman voiced his appreciation to Turkey for its role in freeing Al-Bab from Daesh.

“I thank Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” he said. “The Turks saved us from Daesh’s tyranny.”

“The Syrian regime is no different from Daesh; they both kill civilians,” he added. “Assad and Daesh are working in tandem.”

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced by the conflict, according to UN figures.