More than 1,400 civilians, including many women and children, lost their lives in the chemical weapons attack carried out by the Assad regime on Eastern Ghouta on August 21, 2013.
Despite the years that have passed, the victims of the massacre cannot erase from their memories the terrible scenes they witnessed that day, which they describe as "the darkest night".
The people of Eastern Ghouta, who have been under siege and struggling to survive in harsh conditions for many years after the chemical attack, continue to bear the psychological effects of the attack.
"I tried to protect my children"
Tagreed Mekki, who lost his 2 children and more than 12 relatives in the chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta, told the AA correspondent about the helplessness he experienced in the darkest and most painful night of his life.
Stating that she was at home with her children on the night of the attack and that intense bombardment with chemical gas continued, Mekki said that they heard the expressions "chemical gas" and "sarin gas" for the first time that night.
Mekki described his experiences that night as follows:
"I tried to protect my children. I made a compress by preparing water and vinegar. We tried to do the first aid we could. There was nothing else we could do, we had no choice but to seek refuge in God."
"Even stones and trees were affected by the chemical gas."
Mekki compared what he saw on the roads after the attack to "doomsday" and said, "People, animals, even stones and trees were affected by the chemical gas. There were people and animals lying on the ground." he said.
Stating that there was a fuel shortage due to the siege and that it was extremely difficult to transport the injured to hospitals, Mekki said, "Some people were trying to carry the injured on bicycles, some on motorcycles. It was extremely difficult to transport those affected by chemical gas to hospitals." he said.
"People's faces had completely changed"
Explaining that they went to the hospital to find his wife's sister and nephew and that men were not allowed to enter the women's section, Mekki said:
"I didn't have a mask. I pulled my headscarf over my face and tried not to inhale the gas. However, because I searched for a long time, I was exposed to heavy gas. My eyes started to burn and itch, I felt dizzy and had difficulty breathing."
Emphasizing that the faces of those affected by the chemical gas changed beyond recognition, Mekki said, "Foam was coming from their mouths and noses. There was redness and bruising on their faces. For this reason, I could not recognize my wife's sister and nephew at first glance." he said.
Mekki said he saw a lot of corpses in the hospital and said, "There were people of all ages, from two-year-old children to 60-year-olds." he said.
"Despair rather than fear"
Stating that searching for his relatives among the corpses was an extremely difficult experience for him, Mekki said, "A person's search for his relatives among dozens of corpses on the ground is a very difficult feeling to describe. Rather than fear, it was the desperation of having his heart torn apart and not being able to do anything." he said.
Explaining that he was exposed to more and more gas during the search and had difficulty breathing, Mekki stated that when he came out, his wife immediately took him to the hospital for medical attention.
Stating that his wife showed him some photographs taken near the mosque, Mekki said, "He said that his sister was among them. However, her face had changed so much that I could not recognize her." he said.
Mekki said that the weather was very hot that night and people were attacked in their beds wearing their night clothes, and that the victims were tried to be covered.
"Those responsible for this attack should be tried"
Mekki, who wanted those responsible for that dark night and this massacre to be held accountable, said, "I want the Bashar Assad regime and those who stand by it to be tried for what they inflicted on the Syrian people." he said.
Emphasizing that the Syrian people were targeted with chemical weapons simply because they demanded freedom and dignity, Mekki underlined that the international community's response to the attack was inadequate.
Mekki pointed out that although the international investigation team was a few kilometers away from Damascus, they could only enter the region days later, adding that the teams took samples from soil, blood and animals, and that the investigation revealed that sarin gas was used, but the person responsible for the attack was not determined.
Stating that the international response to the chemical attack has not been sufficient so far, Mekki said, "The justices of those who lost their lives and their relatives have still not been fully given." he said.
"This crime should never be denied"
Mekki asked the international community not to forget the attack and to hear the voices of the victims.
Demanding that a national day of remembrance be declared in memory of those who lost their lives in the chemical attack, Mekki said, "Because of this painful memory, I say enough is enough. No one should mock the blood of the martyrs and the pain of the victims." he said.
Stating that he lost many of his relatives as well as his 2 children in the attack, Mekki concluded his words as follows:
"I lost more than 12 of my relatives in total. Our only request from the world is not to underestimate this crime and never deny that this chemical attack really happened."
