To be a war correspondent is a perilous job. This is especially true for journalists who dare enter Syria, one of the most dangerous countries in the world to report in, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. However, some people feel compelled to witness happenings in war-torn areas so they might inform the rest of the world. Syrian photographer Abd Alkader Habak is one such individual.
For his job, Habak must insert himself into dangerous situations to capture photos which might later be shared by media outlets. But last week, when a bomb struck a convoy of buses carrying evacuees from Syrian villages, he couldn’t sit idly by. As CNN reports, after being temporarily knocked out by the explosion, the photographer and his colleagues decided to put their cameras aside and help as many people as they could.
The first child Habak checked on was already dead, so he quickly moved on to a badly injured boy. All in all, the bomb killed 126 people. It is unknown whether the boy Habak can be seen carrying in the photos below survived.
“The scene was horrible — especially seeing children wailing and dying in front of you,” he told the press. “So I decided along with my colleagues that we’d put our cameras aside and start rescuing injured people.”
Images of the Syrian correspondent falling on his knees after realizing what just occurred were captured by brave photographer, Muhammad Alrageb. Recalling the horrific experience, Habak stated:
“I was overcome with emotion. What I and my colleagues witnessed is indescribable.”
WARNING: Some of the following photos are graphic.
Since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, more than 11 million people have been forced to flee their homes. According to the U.N., 6.3 million people remain internally displaced and over half of the country’s pre-war population of 22 million is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. As a result of recent action taken by the U.S., it would seem as if the conflict is far from over.
Please raise awareness about the conflict and the necessity to assist refugees by sharing this news and commenting your thoughts below.
Credit: Baladi News, Bored Panda
