(22 Aug 2025)
SYRIA CHEMICAL ATTACK ANNIVERSARY
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damascus , Syria – 21 August 2025
1. Women seated at memorial for the 2013 Ghouta chemical attack
2. Picture of one of the victims of the attack
3. Various of women gathered at the memorial
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sara Ahmad, chemical attack survivor:
"It was the hardest thing to go through, I can’t forget what happened, it was difficult. My kids were the most precious thing I had in this life. My husband, my family, I lost them. I can’t forget them. It was very hard for me. My five kids should be adults by now."
5. Various of women and kids at the memorial, with a girl holding a picture of one of the victims of the attack
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sara Ahmad, chemical attack survivor:
"I want (former Syrian President) Bashar Assad to be prosecuted for the injustice he inflicted on our people and our children. My daughter was only a year and a half old, why did he kill her? What for? My daughter didn’t do anything to him, she was a year and a half old, and he killed her. I will never forget my kids, no matter how old I get. My kids have been on my mind since yesterday, I can’t stop thinking about them."
7. Various of paintings at an art exhibition during the event
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Asma Qita, chemical attack survivor who was a medic at the time:
"When I got to the scene, it was an indescribable situation. The streets, buildings and homes were filled (with bodies). You couldn’t find a place to walk. People died suddenly, there was no blood, people just died. There was no oxygen, there was no antidote. We didn’t have an antidote for this because on one expects a president to attack his people with chemical weapons."
9. Various of paintings at an art exhibition during the event
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Asma Qita, chemical attack survivor who was a medic at the time:
"Until today, I can’t describe how I feel. I can’t talk about how I felt in that situation. I was walking around (on the day of the attack) not knowing what to do; if I should administer first aid to the victims, give CPR — but there was no way to save them. People died suddenly. People were living normally and then you couldn’t save them. It was a very emotionally charged situation. I still can’t remember that day."
11. Various of people crying at the memorial event as they watch videos on large screen
12. Top shot of people gathered at memorial event
STORYLINE:
Every year, Sara Ahmad finds it very difficult to get through the month of August.
She feels emotionally and physically tired. And the memories of her five kids don’t leave her mind.
Ahmad’s three sons and two daughters, the youngest a year and a half old, died on Aug. 21, 2013 – victims of the sarin gas attack in Syria that killed hundreds and left thousands of others hurt.
Government forces of then-President Bashar Assad were blamed for the attack.
Twelve years on, Ahmad and other survivors say they want Assad to be held accountable.
"I want Bashar Assad to be prosecuted” Ahmad says through tears. “My daughter was a year and a half old, why did he kill her? "
This year marks the first anniversary of the chemical weapons attack since Assad’s government was toppled.
People held events commemorating the Ghouta attack, a major turning point that changed the course of the conflict for the worse.
The Damascus suburb at the time was held by opposition fighters trying to topple Assad.
Asma Qita, who worked as a nurse at the time, rushed to the scene only to discover that people were beyond saving.
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