IDLIB
260 Syrians, most of whom are women and children, have taken shelter in a recently bombed school in Azmarin town of the Syrian city of Idlib and try to survive in freezing cold by embracing blankets and rugs at night.
Some of the Syrians who lost families, relatives and friends and whose homes were bombarded during the two year old Syrian civil war have fled to neighboring countries while others began living in buildings that have turned into ruins.
260 Syrians who took shelter in a school building in Azmarin town of Idlib city have to fight against hunger and epidemics in cold weather.
Women and children have taken desks out of the school building and sleep on rugs that they have placed on the concrete floor and try to protect themselves from the freezing cold by embracing blankets.
The Syrians try to cook meal with assistance materials distributed by philanthropists and by lighting a fire with bushes that they collected. Their greatest desire is to see an end to violence in Syria and to return to their homes.
260 Syrians had to take shelter in schools where once their children received education. They try to fulfill needs with the assistance of aid organizations, most of which are based in Turkey.
The Syrians have taken shelter in the school as it is safe and is in a region controlled by the opposition. Those who have been wounded wait for the day when they can receive medical treatment as there are no doctors or hospitals in the region.
The Syrian children have to fight against epidemics in cold weather. Many children do not even have shoes or socks.
-No beds, only a few blankets-
One of those Syrians who took shelter in the school building, Mehmet Arabo told the Anadolu Agency (AA) that a total of 43 families who used to live in Azmarin's villages had to take shelter in schools after their homes were bombed.
"We receive aid materials from Turkey, Qatar and Bahrain," Arabo indicated.
"We receive aid. However, the amount of assistance we receive is not sufficient for everyone here. Our children feel very cold here. There are no beds and only a few blankets. Many people have to share blankets and protect themselves from freezing cold. We try to light a fire with bushes we collect so as to heat ourselves. We meet our water need with the help of neighbors," Arabo noted.
Showing her ill children, Vahide Sadik said that they had to leave their villages and homes.
"We have had to escape to Azmarin without being able to carry any of our goods at home. We had a comfortable life at our homes. However, they destroyed our homes. What have we done to Assad? Our children are ill and they have no medication or doctors. We need assistance wherever it may come from," Sadik indicated.
10-year-old Fatmel Hac spoke to the AA with fearful eyes.
"We hear sounds of bombs every single day. We try to live with a large number of people in a school. We have no village or home to go. We try to survive by collecting whatever we can. It is winter now. My brothers and sisters and I feel very cold," Hac also said.
Reporting by Lale Koklu
