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Subscribe to RSSGRAPHIC WARNING: Contains images which some viewers may find disturbing.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
A Free Syrian Army fighter looks at his comrade as he gets shot by sniper fire during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan 30. The Free Syrian Army fighter on the left was wounded moments later. The fighter on the right died soon after being shot.
Photographer Goran Tomasevic has been covering the conflict in Syria for Reuters, offering the world a view into the historic city of Damascus, once strictly off-limits to journalists without a government escort. While it has become tragically routine to see violent and gruesome stories from the country’s civil war, Tomasevic’s dramatic photos from today’s front lines stand out. The series captures not only the last seconds of a rebel’s life before he is shot by a sniper, but also show as the body is taken back to his friends, while under attack. We see an intimate narrative that examines the realities of war for the rebels.
Tomasevic tells the harrowing story on the Reuters Photographers Blog:
One moment, I heard two incoming shots. I was already aiming my camera on these two Syrian rebels. I heard the scream and saw one of them get shot. He was still alive as I was shooting but dying as he was carried away.
There was intensive fighting as the rebel group I was with in a Damascus neighborhood was trying to overtake a government checkpoint some 50 meters away. There was another group of rebels who were supposed to fire rocket propelled grenades from a further distance away from the checkpoint. After that, the group I was with was meant to engage the soldiers manning the checkpoint.
At the checkpoint I could clearly see sandbags and tanks. I didn’t look at the tanks anymore because I needed to take cover. I pulled back a little to look for the best position to take pictures and how to be covered in the best possible way.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Free Syrian Army fighters take position just before they were hit by Syrian Army sniper fire during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30. The fighter on the right died soon after, while his comrade was wounded.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Free Syrian Army fighters carry a comrade who was shot by sniper fire during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighbourhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30.
There were two rebels next to me and two rebels across the street. A couple of sniper shots were fired. They were clearly sniper shots, not Ak’s, as they came one by one. I could clearly see through the lens when they actually shot the rebel. The rebel next to him was also shot and injured but he should recover after being hit in the stomach.
After the rebel was killed they pulled back maybe 20-30 meters and I took pictures of the body being taken out. The hole where the rebels had to drag the body through was really small and it was difficult to drag him through. There was a lot of fire as the rebels dragged him away.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover as a tank shell explodes on a wall during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover as a tank shell explodes on a wall during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30.
A tank fired a couple of shells onto the top of the building and rubble fell down around us.
The rebels kept on fighting for a few hours. It was heavy, with a lot of RPGs and attacks on multiple sites. They pulled back after a couple of hours of intensive fighting and fired some mortar shells.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires a rocket propelled grenade during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
A Free Syrian Army fighter gestures in front of a burning barricade during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30.
From what I’ve seen the fighting is up and down. The lines between the Free Syrian Army and the government army are pretty clear. Since I’ve been here it’s literally been going house by house. The other day there was a rebel next to me who was struck by shrapnel. The rebels and the government forces are close enough to be throwing hand grenades at one another. You can hear them shouting at each other.
The lines seem to be pretty much the same. One day the government takes a couple of houses and then the rebels take a couple of houses again so it is pushing back and forth.
Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
A wounded Free Syrian Army fighter cries after hearing that his friend died in a mission in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, on Jan. 30.
Related links:
- Photos reveal Syrian rebels taking fight to Damascus
- Slideshow: Syria uprising
- Goran Tomasevic's photos of the battle for Aleppo
- 'We escaped death': Syrian refugees struggle with cold, hunger and uncertainty
Leave a Comment:
As the saying goes.."War is hell" and these photos are actually quite tame compared to the reality of what one sees. As ECF2222 said the American press santitize the news to fit their political views and to not upset their audiences sensitivities. Yet we will watch extreme violence over and over in our movies and tv shows. Yes I am guilty of that too, but I do know how to seperate fantasy from reality.
Real war is not clean and pretty and it is in very vivid techincolor. War is the ultimate employer and Death is its hiring partner, It does not discriminate. War does not care at all about who is right or wrong, innocent or quilty.
Almost all of the fighting going on is either tribal or religous extremist based and in most cases it is both. So no one will ever get them to settle thier differences.
Ok with that said it is my belief that we should not be involved at all in the middle east. Let them fight out and then when they get done, as if that would ever happen, turn the entire place into a parking lot. Yeah I know that's not a reality either.
Unfortunately something simliar is happening here in the states as the extremist political views are taking control of the political parties and the media. We are slowly losing our freedoms to these radicals of both sides. We just haven't reached the all out fighting level yet.
As a political moderate all I can ask of my fellow americans is to voice their opinions and votes to not let the radical right or left continue to destory this country.
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Brave photpgrapher. We need to see this. It's a reminder of the costs of war.
As for the fight itself: Al Queda is a small part of the rebel force. They are opportunists who see a chance to get a foothold in an unstable country. This is why we must be engaged, not with troops, but with humanitarian support. We must be ready to assist in rebuilding nd setting up a functioning gov't when the rebels have won (and they will win).
Assad is a thug, just like his old man. Dad exterminated a whole village and junior is following in his footsteps. They are Baathists, just like Saadam. Syria has chem weapons and we need to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands. When the rebels win, they are going to remember who their friends are. Most of the rebels can't stand the islamists, but right now, they are useful fighters.
It's not just religion, it's also demographics. The middle east is awash in unemployed youth They have been exposed, through social media, the the economic success of more democratic countries and they want the same.
People are needlessly dying. This isn't a movie it is real. Unfortunately, they have kept the civil war within the borders of Syria, so universal respect for Syria's sovereignty stops other countries from stopping the violence. This war isn't about Zionism. It's about "freedom". The Syrian people want what some of the world has: the right to express their opinions, to work and support their families, and to be secular (like Turkey). They want progress and not a smothering dictatorship which doesn't want things to change. In a open Syria you can get a job based on your abilities and not because your related to the dictatorship. Combat photographers do a harrowing job, and those are some emotionally provocative photos. It is a shame that people die needlessly, when a regime change could stop it. It all boils down to who holds the money and what they want; not the average Syrian people.
I kind of agree with the guy that said, let 'em fight it out!! Rooting for the Rebels, as well, until they level the playing field, then get it on both sides! Till there's only 2 muslims left. Then let them have a duel whereby both get a good shot in! Problem solved! Sarc... I doubt this is going to be over for a long time... Syria has turned into a proxy battleground between sects. It will be a smoldering hell hole for years, most likely.
Syria is best left alone. In 100 years they will have peace. As long as not one American life is wasted there then it is fine. Actually we could have Barry and the Idiot do a campaign stop there and try to bring everyone together. I wonder how their gun control ideas would play.
Actually the photos will be Detroit and Chicago in 5 years.
GBA