The magazine of the photo-essay
Sept 2016 back issue
by Yusuke Suzuki
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
I headed to Aleppo, which was Syria's second largest city in 2013. There was not enough water, electricity, food,
medicine, gas, jobs and schools. The people of Aleppo had lost everything. Those who used to be regular citizens of
Aleppo took to the guns and joined the rebels. They had waited for their victory for a long time, fighting hard, putting
their lives at risk and surviving in very difficult conditions, but the situation never changed. They felt like they had been
forgotten and isolated from the international community. The people of Aleppo seemed increasingly pessimistic and
they could no longer stand the conditions of their daily life.
Not only do wars destroy physical objects, they, perhaps more horrifyingly, destroy souls. And the hatred will be passed
down for generations.
Nobody is sure what is going to happen after they defeat the Assad regime.
One of the rebel soldiers I met said, “We really don’t have enough time or room to think about life after Bashar. We only
have time to think how we can win the battle. That’s it.”
Syria had plunged into the chaos of war.
A destroyed street in Salaheddine district, where the fighting between the Syrian army and the Free Syrian Army first
erupted in Aleppo. Almost all of the infrastructures in the town of Aleppo have been destroyed. The historic town, once
a world heritage sight, with one of the richest histories in the world, has been torn.
People rush and shout, showing their IDs as the Free Syrian Army starts to distribute blankets.
A street vendor passes by the trash mountain. There are tons of trash and garbage dumped on the streets due to the
lack of public services, which causes deterioration in public health.
Women have a chat on a fully loaded truck with their household belongings as they flee the town of Aleppo, Syria.
A family spends a night with a candle, drinking coffee without any electricity. Aleppo, Syria.
A man holding breads and a small child, stop to have a chat on the street. Aleppo, Syria.
A child prays at the grave of his grandmother.
Children gather and show the victory signs in front of the flag used by the Free Syrian Army during a Friday demo in
Aleppo, Syria.
A boy looks up at commanders of the Free Syrian Army as they talk about an upcoming military operation.
A soldier of the Free Syrian Army breaks a wall with a hammer in order to make a small path to the frontline. Since
there are snipers on the buildings, both the Syrian Army and the free Syrian Army have to break walls and move
forward through them.
A sniper of the free Syrian Army takes his position to aim a rifle at the Syrian Army near Aleppo international airport.
A soldier of the Free Syrian Army runs for cover as a sniper opens fire in Aleppo, Syria.
A wounded soldier of the Free Syrian Army is being carried by his comrades as he was hit during gun battle in Aleppo.
Soldeirs of the Free Syrian Army take cover as shelling from the government forces gets harder.
