Small group of villagers stay in ISIL controlled area

World Today

Jubb Al-Jarah, in the north of Homs province, was attacked by ISIL when Palmyra fell in 2015. Now, with ISIL expanding again in central Syria, this village is once more under threat from ISIL.

CGTN’s Xu Dezhi reports.

The village is actually surrounded by ISIL and you can hear the sound of jets in the sky. And all those hills are controlled by ISIL.

Because ISIL is so close, Jubb Al-Jarah had been hit by mortar bombs many times in the last few weeks. Some villagers had put tires on their roofs to reduce the impact if they’re hit by bombs.

But most people had left.

This village used to hold more than a thousand people. But several weeks ago when ISIL advanced in the Palmyra area, villagers here fled away. Now, there were only about 60 people still living here in this empty village.

Hasana and her family are among those who stay. Hasana’s family used to make a living from farming. Now, the farmland was mined and no one knew where ISIL snipers were. It is too dangerous to farm in open areas. Instead, Hasana feeds her 20 sheep in the pen and lets them walk through the narrow streets. The milk and butter from the sheep can only provide them basic needs.

One of Hasana’s sons died defending this village from an ISIL attack. One of the reasons why Hasana and her husband don’t want to leave is that four of their children are fighting ISIL here. They refuse to leave their sons behind. Though life is hard here with no electricity and water, Hasana said they will stay.