Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Heartwrenching video shows injured Syrian child crying for father in aftermath of air strike

The heartbreaking footage was captured in the rebel-held town of Talbisah the same night strikes killed two people in the area 

Tuesday 11 October 2016 06:26 EDT
Comments
Ayah was later reunited with her father, activists said
Ayah was later reunited with her father, activists said

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

An activist group has released moving footage of a little girl it says was caught in the aftermath of an air strike on a rebel held town in Syria.

Ayah, as she is identified, was filmed trying to look her father as rescue workers attempt to soothe her and wipe blood away from her forehead and nose after regime shelling of the town of Talbisah near Homs in the early hours of Monday. Her skin, hair and clothes are caked in dust and blood stains.

She shouts “Baba” or 'Dad' multiple times, clearly distressed by being separated from her family. Rebel-run Talbisah News reported that the pair were reunited at a field hospital later in the evening.

Talbisah, which is home to 84,000 people, has been subjected to renewed Russian-backed bombing by the Syrian regime since an internationally brokered ceasefire collapsed three weeks ago. Four strikes overnight on Sunday into Monday killed at least two people, activists said, and left two dozen injured.

In neighbouring Homs, once an opposition stronghold, the last rebel-held neighbourhood was evacuated last month, after fighters surrendered because of siege conditions and the complete collapse of medical infrastructure.

Talbisah received aid supplies including children’s clothes, food and medical equipment in September, the first such delivery since July.

President Bashar al-Assad has made good on a vow to wipe out all remaining “terrorists” in Syria since the seven-day Eid-al-Adha ceasefire broke down last month.

If successful, the renewed air and ground assault on rebel-held east Aleppo, in the north of the country, would effectively decimate all US-backed rebel support in Syria’s major urban areas.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in