Feature: Leaving home becomes source of relief for Shiite Syrians under rebel siege

While leaving home unwillingly is a very unpleasant experience for most people, in case of war, tough sieges, leaving one's home could be a source of relief.

Being subject to a harsh two-year-old siege by ultra-radical rebel groups, the Shiite people of Kafraya and Foa towns have found relief when leaving their homes to shelters in the northern city of Aleppo.

These people in the two adjacent towns in the countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib have been subject to suffocating siege, intense shelling with rockets and mortar shells, on the bases of sectarian rivalries, since the rebels controlled much of Idlib two years ago.

The Shiite people in general have been supportive of President Bashar al-Assad. Moreover, Shiite militias have also joined the Syrian war on the side of the Syrian government forces against a Sunni-led insurgency.

With this sectarian tension, the rebel destroyed the infra-structure of the towns and prevented the entry of aid, which prompted the government to airdrop the food items and basic necessities, which were all but sufficient.

Those people have found relief recently, as their evacuation was included in a deal, which also includes the evacuation of rebels and their families from the eastern part of the northern city of Aleppo.

In the Jibreen town south of Aleppo, the evacuated people of the Shiite towns were placed.

Sadiqa, a mother of four from the Foa town, said she was happy that she left her home, expressing no regrets or sorrow at all over her evacuation.

"Our situation was extremely difficult, with mortar shells slamming us, as well as the lack of food and medications. We have suffered the lack of almost everything," she said.

Sadiqa further recounted that even the sick had nothing to be treated with, as well as the wounded, who also didn't find medicine in the hospitals.

"What can I say more... I wish everyone in the town get the chance to leave. Here the situation is much better than in there," she said.

Sajed, her husband, was bitter when he recounted what the life in Kafraya and Foa is like.

"The life in Foa is intolerable...he people there are suffering greatly. There you can find people living in homes without windows, without doors. You can find people who don't have shoes, or socks, or even slippers," he said.

"I am happy because I left there because the life there is so bad," he added.

Zainab, a mother of one girl and relative of Sajed, said she wasn't sad she left her home, but sad because she had to leave her sick parents alone.

"Our life back there was so hard, and I don't wish it for anyone, I wish the people there a quick salvation. I am not sad because I left the town, but because I was separated from my parents, who are both sick, my father has a heart condition and so is my mother," she said.

More people are expected to leave both towns in tandem with the evacuation of the rebels from eastern Aleppo, but the numbers of those evacuees are yet to be declared officially. Endit