Syria's barrel bombs: an eyewitness account
The author documents the aftermath of a barrel bomb attack on civilians in the Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood of Aleppo.
ALEPPO, Syria — It’s 2 a.m. on June 7 and calm hangs over the neighborhood of Bustan al-Qasr. All the shops are closed. A few passersby walk the street; two, three, maybe five in total. Quiet reigns, except for the sound of a helicopter flying low to the ground, which is atypical during the day.
No one looked up to the sky, because the helicopter could not be seen while it circled. Maybe it was directly overhead or farther away.
Some inhabitants turned off all their lights, hoping to reduce the chance of being targeted. Others ignored the whole situation, having grown tired of all the security measures.
The helicopter’s rumble grew as it descended vertically. Suddenly, a young man yelled “ordnance released,” as the exploding barrel was heard whooshing toward the ground, growing louder as pedestrians scurried about. One man threw himself on the ground. Another ran away, while a third stood motionless. The whistling sound grew louder, followed by a young man’s cries of “Allahu Akbar,” right before the earth shook in a thunderous explosion.
