The long walk from yesterday's "frontline" to the newly liberated Umayyed Mosque in the Old City #Aleppo. The debris of fierce house to house fighting littered the street that led to the ex terrorist sniper nests inside the battle scarred Mosque. Until 4pm the day before these snipers were still inside the Mosque.
An eerie fog had descended upon the Old City and gave the scene an even more surreal aspect. The photo was taken at the "front line", the row of upturned buses and... assorted metal barriers that were the demarcation line between SAA fighters and the terrorists.
I did actually video the whole walk into the Mosque, unfortunately 3 attempts to upload have failed, I will do it when I return to Damascus.
Many soldiers were in the upstairs windows, waving at us but still wary and alert for any possible terrorist activity. We saw one of the courageous female soldiers walk towards us.
The decimation of this beautiful and historical district of the Old City was heart-rending. After liberation comes the rebuilding process, stone by stone of ancient buildings and holy sites, all of which are UNESCO listed but of course no outrage from them.
Photos: Vanessa Beeley.
