The Battle for Aleppo: Life and Death Under the Rubble

Civilians have borne and continue to bear the brunt of this conflict which has claimed the lives of between 300-500,000 people and continues with unrelenting ferocity through its sixth year. Since 2011, over 5,000 schools have been damaged or destroyed, 11.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes and bombs have rained down on homes, bakeries, hospitals, markets and playgrounds with impunity.

The “Battle for Aleppo” between opposition and pro-Government forces has become the pivotal struggle within the countrywide conflict, capturing the attention of the international community. Despite all eyes on Aleppo, competing actors have put aside international humanitarian principles and duties to protect civilians in favour of seeking territorial gain and military advantage over this strategically significant city – at any cost.

The conflict truly took hold of Aleppo city in mid-July 2012. It was during that hot summer that the 2.5 million population of Aleppo city was first divided into two areas of control. The west controlled by the Syrian Government and the east by opposition forces.

Today, the total population of Aleppo city has shrunk to just under 2 million, with the current population of eastern Aleppo standing at approximately 275,000.

Since April 2016, Aleppo city has witnessed some of the most intense violence of the five year conflict, after government and allied forces increased their efforts to take the eastern neighbourhoods while opposition groups fought to hold territory. Airstrikes and artillery-fire rain down on opposition areas while opposition forces fire mortars and other explosives onto the Government-controlled areas of western Aleppo, with civilians paying the greatest price.

On July 7^th, the eastern neighbourhoods of the city were completely encircled by pro-Government forces and placed under effective siege. Despite a briefly successful effort to break the siege in early August, the population is again besieged and faces increasingly limited access to food, medicine and shelter as their homes, hospitals, markets, bakeries, businesses, and schools are reduced to rubble. 

Those who had the means and the support from families and friends outside the city left when they were able. Thousands risked their lives trying to escape during the short break in the siege in August and dozens were killed in their attempt.

Those who remain in the eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo city today do so out of poverty or principle, or both. No-one predicted that the battle for Aleppo would continue so unrelentingly for four more years, but despite everything many continue to hold out hope for the future and refuse to ever leave their home city out of principle.

Munther, a young man living in Saif Al-Dawleh neighbourhood of east Aleppo is one such example.

“I was born in this part of Aleppo and I have been living here all my life. I got married here as well. I spent the best days of my life here. Since 2012, I have preferred to stay here and I volunteered myself for the help of others. I stayed in order to help and because I have the right to live where I was born and where I have always lived. Even weeks before and since the besiegement, I insist on staying here and have not thought of leaving.”

People in Need was the first international NGO working in Aleppo city and has been supporting vulnerable families in the eastern neighbourhoods since 2012, when the situation was bleak but comparatively better. Since as early as 2012, the population of east Aleppo have been reliant on international aid, all of which has been prevented from entering the city since July 2016 due to the deteriorating security situation, government blockades and opposition refusals. The population of east Aleppo city is now left in an extremely desperate situation whereby supplies of basic food items and medical supplies are dangerously low.  With no diplomatic or political solutions to relieve the suffering in sight and after repeated ceasefire failures, the population of east Aleppo city has all-but given up on the international community.

Today, as the war wages with reinvigorated strength, happy memories of life in the city are faint and faith in the international community is broken. Firas, a resident of east Aleppo city who mourns the constant decline of his city and the terrible living conditions of those around him describes that it is seems as if “the Alepponians are destined to suffer.”

There is great resilience to their suffering. Ahmad, from a local TV station in Aleppo, explains that people in Aleppo city somehow maintain hope that the siege and bombing will not last forever. “We have been living under hard conditions and heavy bombardment for years and we still have courage and determination to live here although the future might not be better.”

Even after all this, when it cannot seem to get worse, when the extent of the suffering cannot be expressed in more powerful terms, when the violations against civilians cannot be condemned more strongly –we have witnessed the worst days for civilians in east Aleppo city to date. 

Since Thursday 22^nd September, the eastern neighbourhoods have witnessed the unimaginable. Under siege, trapped and unable to flee, with dwindling supplies of food, medicine and clean water – east Aleppo experienced the most intense bombing campaign of the entire conflict. New bunker-busting weapons are being deployed so that even basements can no longer provide safety and shelter to civilians.

Among the first rushing to the scene in the aftermath of an airstrike are members of the Syrian Civil Defense — a volunteer organization also known as the White Helmets. These volunteers work in opposition areas and risk their lives on a daily basis trying to save those of people injured and trapped beneath the rubble.

Ibrahim, a White Helmets volunteer in east Aleppo describes the difficulties, risks and obstacles they face trying to save others.

“Since the ceasefire has ended a week ago, pro-regime forces have intensified the military campaign targeting the eastern neighbourhoods. The airstrikes have left tens of people under the rubble. All types of bombs and rockets are deployed on the civilian infrastructure and buildings... These airstrikes killed more than 400 civilians and wounded more than 700; amongst them are children and women.”

First aid responders rush to the sites of the bombing to pull whoever is still alive from the rubble, but in the last two weeks given the extent of the damage and destruction many have waited hours under the rubble. Makeshift hospitals and clinics, which have been forced to operate underground due to aerial attack, are now full. In July, 35 doctors remained in east Aleppo. Today, the number of doctors is conceivably fewer whilst the number of patients grows by the hour and medical supplies run lower and lower.

The focus of the international community is on east Aleppo, but this recent onslaught comes in the wake of an attack on a humanitarian convoy in west Aleppo countryside, the falling of barrel bombs in Dar’a and the continued besiegement of 18 other Syrian cities and towns.

At this stage the people of Aleppo don’t know what will shock the world into action to save Syria, but out of the depths of destruction and bloodshed there is some hope that this most recent onslaught on Aleppo might be it.