X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

This Syrian father lost his whole world in just one day

6 Apr, 2017

The image is heartbreaking, but is just one of many.

A father cradles the lifeless bodies of his cherubic twin babies who look like they could just be sleeping, but are in fact, dead.

He strokes their hair and chokes back tears, mumbling, “Say goodbye, baby, say goodbye” to their lifeless bodies, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.

Little Aya and Ahmed were just nine months old, barely walking, barely talking, with their whole lives ahead of them. But now, no more.

It’s a terrible sight to see whether you are a parent or not. But as a parent myself, the look of pure devastation and hopelessness on this father’s face really affected me. I can’t even start to imagine what he must have been feeling at that moment, and how life can ever be normal for him from now.

This Syrian father lost his whole world in just one day

What happened?

Abdel Hameed Alyousef, 29, is a shop owner living in the northern Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun. On Tuesday 4 April, a suspected chemical attack hit this very town.

When the airstrike took place, Alyousef told the AP, “I was right beside them and I carried them outside the house with their mother. They were conscious at first, but 10 minutes later we could smell the odor.”

The twins and Alyousef’s wife Dalal Ahmed, became very sick. He rushed them to paramedics and reassured they were in safe hands, went back to look for the rest of his family.

He only found devastation and death. Alyousef discovered the bodies of two of his brothers, two nephews and a niece, as well as neighbors and friends. “I couldn’t save anyone, they’re all dead now,” he told the AP.

Later, he discovered that his beloved children and wife had died too.

This Syrian father lost his whole world in just one day

The loss of innocence.

Who is to be blamed for this latest attack?

Many leaders around the world blame the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad for this deadly attack, that saw dozens of people – including many children – dead.

According to reports, the victims breathed in a poison that possibly contained a nerve agent, bringing about a painful and torturous death.  Witnesses have said they saw many of the affected writhing, gasping for breath and foaming at the mouth as a result of the lethal poison.

The toxic substance is reported to have spread following the air-attack in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

The attack appeared to be the deadliest chemical attack in Syria since August 2013.

Mums and dads, let’s spare a thought for the thousands of Syrian parents who have lost they nearest and dearest. No parent wants to outlive their children and the agony of this is made so much worse when the child’s death is senseless.

Watch this video: 

Father of 9-month-old twins killed in Syrian chemical attack w…

“I was expecting them to hug me back”: Heartbroken father mourns 9-month-old twins killed in Syrian chemical attack abcn.ws/2oO2ma8 Posted by ABC News on Saturday, 8 April 2017

theAsianparent team is devastated at the unnecessary loss of these young lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected and their families. 

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Nalika Unantenne

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • This Syrian father lost his whole world in just one day
Share:
  • 7-year-old Bana Alabed’s Twitter reveals to the world what Syrian children are going through

    7-year-old Bana Alabed’s Twitter reveals to the world what Syrian children are going through

  • Haunting photo of wounded girl reminds us of the horrors of war

    Haunting photo of wounded girl reminds us of the horrors of war

  • Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

    Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • 7-year-old Bana Alabed’s Twitter reveals to the world what Syrian children are going through

    7-year-old Bana Alabed’s Twitter reveals to the world what Syrian children are going through

  • Haunting photo of wounded girl reminds us of the horrors of war

    Haunting photo of wounded girl reminds us of the horrors of war

  • Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

    Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.