A 13-year old boy who lives in the Idlib, Syria camp that was hit by a missile attack on November 20, 2019 sits amid the chaos and aftermath of the bombing, In the background, people look through the rubble. Photo: Save the Children, November 2019.
A Deadly Attack in Idlib Claims the Lives of Innocent School Children
A recent attack on a camp in Idlib, Syria has claimed the lives of at least eight children. Four of the children who lost their lives attended a Save the Children-supported school run by our partner.
Dozens more boys, girls and families were injured when missiles struck the camp, which is home to more than 800 displaced Syrians.
Fires burned as innocent children and families ran for their lives.
Hanan*, 27, is a mother of three who lives in the camp and teaches at the Save the Children-supported school. Hanan described the moments of the attack.
“We heard loud explosions. The power went off. I felt dust covering us as I lay over my children to protect them.
“I saw fire burning outside and noticed that the roof made of tarpaulin was gone. I ran outside with my children to look for shelter and saw our neighbors being taken out of the rubble, with body parts strewn around.”
One of Hana’s students died in the attack.
“I also heard that Maya* my student had died. She was such a brilliant and good student. Earlier that day, I had filmed her during a play at school.
“Maya wanted to be a doctor to help people. What Maya did not know is that she was going to become a victim herself.”
Maya and her classmates’ tragic deaths bring the total of children killed in Idlib in November to 22, according to Save the Children’s partner.
A report finds that, after eight years of war, a third of Syria’s schools have been damaged, destroyed or occupied.[1]
In addition to the physical destruction, and even more importantly to many children, ties of family and community have been ripped apart. More than half the population has been forced to flee their homes, with 6.2 million people currently internally displaced and 5.6 million refugees.
Every child under the age of 16 has now lived more of their childhood in the shadow of war than outside of it.
Since the start of the crisis, Save the Children has worked to reach the most vulnerable children in Syria and in the refugee-hosting countries.
A donation to the Syrian Children’s Relief Fund can help protect the children of Syria.
*Name changed for protection
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