PHOTOS: Five Stories About Syrian Refugees You Need to Know

This post is part of our special coverage Surviving in Syria

While the world seems to be happy for Syrian president Bashar Al Assad to continue killing Syrians, international media, newspapers, blogs, social networks, and amateur and professional photographers are injecting the Internet space with stories and misery of 2 million (estimated October 2013) Syrian refugees. Nevertheless this post should be considered as “Surviving outside Syria” but it will be as part of our special coverage on Surviving in Syria to reveal the social media's contribution to the Syrian conflict.

Several photographs have been selected for this post, citing Syrian people in neighborhood countries, to illustrate a dark, hard and real life that Syrian children and women are facing away from their homes and families. Bad fate was followed some Syrians refugees in the societies that host them. In Turkey, Syrian refugees were targeted after Reyhanlı blasts, not to mention the plight of Syrian refugee girls.

Story 1: Fotojournalismus on Tubmlr posted photos of the Syrian refugees who have fled the almost three years conflict to Lebanon who is now a home to the largest number of them. Lebanon is Dealing with the massive influx of Syrian refugees which today 20-25% of total population of Lebanon are Syrian refugees. The author wrote:

While there is no official data on the number of children and adults working on the streets Lebanon, it is estimated that it could be anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000. In wealthy districts of Beirut children and adults are viewed on nearly every block begging, looking through trash or offering pedestrians a shoe shine.

tumblr_mwepxmpa3T1r44q44o9_1280

A young Syrian girl sells lighters in a wealthy district of Beirut. Source: fotojournalismus on Tumblr used under CC BY 2.0

Story 2: Under the title “Wives of the Syrian Revolution” Tanya Habjouqa briefly wrote a description of one of her 10 photos:

Um Suleiman, 26, walked alone with her four children (including an infant) from Syria to Iraq and finally Jordan. They had no food on the journey. Her husband remained behind to fight.

tumblr_mwhznjPNuM1rouua1o2_500

Source: 5cents a Pound on Tumblr. Used under CC BY 2.0

And added

Far from the frontlines, these women — now refugees in Jordan — are struggling to support their families despite meager financial means. Calls from their husbands are the only thing that breaks up the dull routine of everyday life and fantasies of reunion are fed by sultry texts that have infused romance back into these marriages.

Story 3: Michael David Friberg posted a photo on his Tumblr for Syrian children playing football in the massive Zaatari refugees camp which host (Until July 4, 2013) an estimated 144,000 refugees, making it Jordan's fourth largest city.

tumblr_mw5r3dIMjH1qb1egco1_1280

Syrian men playing soccer on the outskirts of Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan in July 2013. Source: Michael David Friberg on Tumblr. Used under CC BY 2.0

Story 4: Give peace a chance on Tumblr also shared this photo of a Syrian worker, Tareq, who had fled to Greece. 

Tareq, 46, an unemployed painter from Syria, is reflected in a mirror in a shed where he lives in an abandoned factory in Athens, Greece. 

tumblr_mw6ppcnawY1si73a4o1_1280

Source: Give Peace a Chance. Used under CC BY 2.0

Story 5:

Hope to comeback! This photo tells a story of three Syrian boys who are waiting for the buses that take Syrian refugees back to Syria from Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan.

4 buses leave daily and people return for a variety of reasons. Most of them would rather take their chances in Syria than live in Zaatari. The situation every day is incredibly volatile as there are more people trying to leave than their are seats on the busses. Riot police monitor the situation as people climb over each other and hoist people up into open windows.

tumblr_mpd87yb10c1qb1egco1_1280

Source: Michael David Friberg on Tumblr. Used under CC BY 2.0

Start the conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.