1. Home
  2. Slideshows
  3. Fleeing Syrians in Underground Camps

Fleeing Syrians in Underground Camps

Published February 26th, 2020 - 07:14 GMT

In a field dotted with olive trees in embattled northwestern Syria, Shamseddeen Darra steps down into the gloomy underground shelter he and his family now call home,according to AFP.

After fleeing a deadly offensive by government forces on their home region of Idlib, they found nowhere else to go.

Beyond rolling hills in the village of Taltuna, Darra, his three brothers, their wives and more than a dozen children share a small room in the belly of the earth, AFP added.

"We're living here for lack of a better option," says 35-year-old Darra, who calls their makeshift shelter "the cave".

"We didn't have any tents. We stayed in the town mosque for two days. We looked for a place to stay but found nothing," he explained.

View as a slider
View as a list
Children walk through the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Children walk through the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians eat together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians eat together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Children stand by a woman preparing food inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Children stand by a woman preparing food inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

A child looks on as he sits with other members of a family of internally displaced Syrians in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

A child looks on as he sits with other members of a family of internally displaced Syrians in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians sit together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians sit together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

A woman holds a plate and a saucepan as she stands by food stores including pickled olives inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

A woman holds a plate and a saucepan as she stands by food stores including pickled olives inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

This picture taken on February 23, 2020 shows an aerial view of a solar panel placed outside the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

This picture taken on February 23, 2020 shows an aerial view of a solar panel placed outside the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

Children walk through the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians eat together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Children stand by a woman preparing food inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
A child looks on as he sits with other members of a family of internally displaced Syrians in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians sit together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
A woman holds a plate and a saucepan as she stands by food stores including pickled olives inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
This picture taken on February 23, 2020 shows an aerial view of a solar panel placed outside the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Children walk through the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Children walk through the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians eat together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians eat together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Children stand by a woman preparing food inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Children stand by a woman preparing food inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
A child looks on as he sits with other members of a family of internally displaced Syrians in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
A child looks on as he sits with other members of a family of internally displaced Syrians in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians sit together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
Members of a family of internally displaced Syrians sit together in an underground shelter where several families from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
A woman holds a plate and a saucepan as she stands by food stores including pickled olives inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
A woman holds a plate and a saucepan as she stands by food stores including pickled olives inside an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province, on February 23, 2020. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
This picture taken on February 23, 2020 shows an aerial view of a solar panel placed outside the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP
This picture taken on February 23, 2020 shows an aerial view of a solar panel placed outside the entrance of an underground shelter where several families of internally displaced Syrians from Aleppo and Idlib provinces are taking refuge, in the village of Taltunah about 15 kilometres northwest of Idlib in the northwestern Idlib province. Aref TAMMAWI / AFP

You may also like

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content
Subscribe Now
Loading content ...