The streets of Amiriya, a dilapidated suburb of Aleppo, bear the scars of a decade-long civil war. Yet amid the bombed-out buildings and rubble, a glimmer of hope emerges as residents like Abu Arab return to their homes, determined to rebuild their lives and their city.
A year after the collapse of the Assad regime, nearly 3 million Syrians have returned from abroad and refugee camps, many seeking shelter in the wreckage of their former neighbourhoods. In Amiriya, Abu Arab has moved back into his family home, a multi-storey building that once housed his father’s medical clinic. Though the structure stands scarred by years of fighting, with collapsed sections and bullet-pocked walls, Abu Arab is slowly restoring it, one brick at a time.
The scale of destruction across Aleppo is staggering – a local politician estimates that two-thirds of the city lies in ruins. Yet the unorganised, grassroots efforts of residents like Abu Arab to reclaim their homes and businesses offer a glimpse of resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity.
“What can people do?” the politician laments. “They can’t afford rent and don’t want to live in tents any more.” So they return, undeterred, to the bombed-out buildings that once housed their lives and livelihoods, determined to rebuild.
In the historic Old City, the damage is no less severe. The famed al-Madina Souk, once the beating heart of Aleppo’s entrepreneurial spirit, now lies in ruin, its covered alleyways and ancient khans scarred by fires, explosions and neglect. Yet pockets of activity and renewal can be found, as merchants like Annas strive to resurrect their businesses and revive the city’s storied trading traditions.
Annas, a former garment factory owner, was radicalized by a humiliating encounter with Assad’s police. Now, after years in exile, he has returned to Aleppo, intent on rebuilding not just his own livelihood, but the very fabric of the city he loves. “If they don’t stop the imports, I won’t be able to reopen my workshops,” he laments, lamenting the flood of cheap Chinese goods that threaten to undermine Aleppo’s remaining industries.
The road to recovery is long and arduous, but the determination of Aleppo’s residents shines through. As Abu Arab says, “You never know what might happen in this country.” Brick by brick, they are reclaiming their city, refusing to be defeated by the ravages of war.
