Featured by Anadolu Agency, Syrian girl nears walking

By Burak Karacaoglu and Ahmet Karaahmet

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - Story of an 8-year-old Syrian girl, who lost her leg to airstrikes in her country, was shared by Anadolu Agency and two aid agencies have heard her voice, taking her one step closer to the dream of being able to walk again.

Fatma lost her leg when she was only 3 years old in the war-weary country and has been walking with crutches ever since.

Her call found reply from Turkey’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and Kuwait-based Bayt-al Zakat, also known as Zakat House, and the officials from both charities reached out to her.

Workers from these agencies took Fatma to a prosthesis-orthesis center -- set up by the Zakat House, IHH and Alliance of International Doctors -- in the Sarmada town of northwestern Idlib.

After examining Fatma’s condition, a 15-day exercise program was initially scheduled for her treatment.

Following the program, Fatma will wear a prosthetic leg if her physical condition allows.

Fatma walks three kilometers (1.8 miles) with crutches every day to go to school and wants to become a pediatrician to treat children who have lost their limbs, as shared by Anadolu Agency in the story published on Nov. 22.

The toddler girl lost her leg in a Russian airstrike in the south of the northern Aleppo province.

Taken to a hospital in an unconscious state, Fatma woke up to learn that she lost a leg and her 2-year-old brother died in the attack that killed many civilians.

After attacks on Aleppo by the Syrian regime intensified, Fatma and her family decided to migrate to Idlib.

- Situation in Idlib

During the Astana meeting on May 4-5, 2017, among Turkey, Russia, and Iran, four de-escalation zones were created, including Idlib and some regions of the neighboring provinces -- Latakia, Hama, and Aleppo -- north of the Homs province, Eastern Ghouta in the capital Damascus, and southern parts of the country -- Daraa and Quneitra.

But the regime and Iran-backed terrorists, with the air support of Russia, captured three out of the four zones and turned their direction to take Idlib.

Turkey and Russia reached an additional agreement in Sochi to strengthen cease-fire in September 2018.

Russia and the regime forces launched operations to capture the whole area in May 2019 and seized many large settlement areas within the Idlib de-escalation zone.

Lastly, a new agreement was reached between Turkey and Russia on March 5 in Moscow.

The cease-fire, occasionally violated by the regime forces, is largely protected. During 2017-2020 period, attacks by the regime forces and Russia forced nearly 2 million civilians to migrate to areas close to the Turkish border.

*Writing and contributions by Sena Guler in Ankara