Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

Despite the four-year siege that has reduced their streets to rubble, Syrians in the Damascus suburb of Douma have set their tables for the iftar meal during Ramadan.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

The Syrian Adaleh Foundation, founded in 2012 to bring relief to rebel-held areas of the capital, organized the gathering to bring the community together during Ramadan. The fast-breaking meals will continue over the last 10 days of the holy month.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

An official from the foundation's Turkey bureau said that a recent de-escalation of fighting had convinced them to hold the event, which otherwise would have been dangerous due to the threat of airstrikes.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

The Jaysh al-Islam group controls Douma, drawing repeated airstrikes and barrel bomb attacks from the Assad regime.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

An aid convoy entered Douma in May, for the first time since October 2016, and food prices are already grossly inflated across the country.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

The fighting around Damascus has cut off aid to around 300,000 people in the opposition-held suburbs of eastern Ghouta, which has been under siege since 2013.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

Residents present at the iftar said that before the de-escalation, the meals were held in mosques in order to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

A Syrian medical technologist tweeted photos of the meal, calling the scene "Life despite death today in Douma," while another Twitter user called it an "Iftar of heroes".

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

Syrian journalists in Turkey and the U.K. shared the images online, with people from across the world offering well wishes for the residents of Douma.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

Douma's resilience and spirit of perseverance also made headlines in 2016, when a local house painter turned rockets and bombs into swings for a children's playground.

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins

Syrian neighborhood comes together for iftar meal amid ruins