Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Homs, SANA – Aspired by the will of life, residents of the old city of Homs continue their efforts to change a scene that has been impressed in their minds, a scene of ruined homes, neighborhoods and holy places which were demolished by terrorists before leaving the city.
Security and stability have been restored to the city one year ago thanks to the sacrifices of the Syrian Arab army and the resilience of its residents.
Deacon of Um al-Zenar (St. Mary of the Holy Belt) Church in Homs, Ibrahim Barakat remembers the first moments of expelling the terrorists from the old city of Homs.
He remembers the piles of the debris and rubbles left by the acts of terrorists in every neighborhood, house and street in the city.
Barakat said that hundreds of the young men and women came from the villages to which they were displaced to the city to participate in the rebuilding works.
In Qaser al-Sheikh Street, few meters to the east of the Church, Pharmacist Randa Farkouh opened her pharmacy as the first one to be opened in the neighborhood after restoring security.
She was confident life will return to normal in the neighborhoods of Homs, calling for unifying all efforts to have acts of rehabilitation succeed.
Amal Daiyoub, a girl who returned with her family to their home in al-Hamidiyeh neighborhood, has decorated the walls of her house with photos that document the volume of destruction and sabotage left by the terrorists.
Member of al-Hamidiyeh neighborhood Council, Dr. Akram Nassar said that after one year of expelling the terrorists from the city, more than 800 families returned their homes, expecting that further numbers of residents will return to the city by the end of the current year in coincidence with rehabilitating a number of services and educational establishments and the opening of markets.
The first largest project which was opened in al-Zan Street is a wear factory, Nassar said, asserting that the factory will provide a number of job opportunities to the sons of the neighborhood.
In the Jesuit Fathers’ monastery in Homs, a group of the youth provides relief works and offers all needed for ensuring stability and returning life to normal to the neighborhoods of the old city in al-Hamidiyeh, Bustan al-Diwan, Jamal Eddin, Wadi al-Sayeh and al-Warsha.
Many local initiatives have accompanied the return of the residents to their neighborhoods and homes.
The Colored Imprint initiative aims at brining joy and happiness to hearts exhausted by the hardness of the past days as a number of youths drew paintings on the walls to clean up and remove the black acts left by the terrorists.
Tales of al-Hamidiyeh team started works just after the city has been announced safe, according to the official of the team Ziyad Kasouha.
Kasouha added that the team carried out several initiatives including Christmas drawing competition for the children of the old city and staging a stand in solidarity with Hasaka citizens.
More than 20 families returned to al-Sada Street after lifting rubbles and the return of the electricity, water and telecommunications.
Residents of Homs expressed confidence that the Syrian Army will defeat terrorists and Syria will return to its security, peace and stability.
On May 9, 2014,the old city of Homs was announced safe and completely free from the terrorist organizations thanks to the sacrifices and heroism of the Syrian Arab army.
The authorities started lifting rubbles and rehabilitating the infrastructure immediately.
H. Zain/ Mazen
