The volunteer gravediggers of Jandaris

Volunteers have come from throughout Jandaris, Syria, to assist bury the tons of of lifeless after the earthquakes.

Men carrying the shrouded bodies of babies to bury
Lots of the shrouded our bodies have been small, clutched within the arms of males with shocked faces [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]

Jandaris, Syria – Lots of of males have been shifting round in an open area in Jandaris, northwestern Syria. They appeared laborious at work, lifting, calling out to one another, and carrying issues round.

Upon nearer inspection, the grim actuality was revealed: The sphere was a cemetery which had not been a lot in use earlier than the devastating earthquakes that hit southern Turkey and northwestern Syria on February 6.

Now, it had grow to be the location of mass graves, lengthy trenches dug to inter tons of of people that died within the quakes and their aftermath.

Males have been dashing forwards and backwards, unloading our bodies wrapped in shrouds or physique baggage from vehicles and passing them to others who have been digging trenches large enough to accommodate 100 to 130 folks a day.

Jihad al-Ibrahimi pauses work in the cemetery
Al-Ibrahimi and his household have been already internally displaced, so the earthquakes didn't harm their tents [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]

Some our bodies needed to be lifted and carried by two males. Many others have been tiny, clutched within the arms of males with shock written throughout their faces as they carried the infants over to the trenches.

Jihad Ahmed al-Ibrahimi, 21, was gathering cement breezeblocks, bringing them for use to line the trenches. The our bodies are laid on high of the breezeblocks, after which marble slabs are laid over high of the our bodies earlier than the trenches are stuffed in.

He had been coming every single day, to volunteer to assist with the burials.

Men handing down the shrouded bodies of babies or small children to be buried in the mass grave
Handing the our bodies right down to the volunteers standing within the trench [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]

“I dwell within the camps in Aazaz, me and my household are displaced,” he informed Al Jazeera, including that as a result of he and his household already lived in tents, they didn't undergo a lot earthquake harm.

“However to be sincere, we have been scared, it was horrifying. Then we began pondering how way more horrifying it might have been for the individuals who dwell within the cities. And we began to fret about our folks within the cities as a result of we knew that was the place a lot of the harm could be.

“We heard that the worst harm was in Jandaris, so, me and about 30 or 40 different males come out right here each morning to volunteer and assist the folks right here bury their lifeless right here on this cemetery.”

gravediggers
The trenches are lined with breezeblock and marble slabs are laid over high of the our bodies [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]

Al-Ibrahimi mentioned the boys use their very own automobiles to make the 40km (25 miles) journey to Jandaris within the morning and again once more to Aazaz at evening, not a simple process in a area the place 12 years of battle have decimated infrastructure and assets, a scenario solely made worse by the earthquakes.

The lifeless folks’s names are documented, as a lot as potential, and small markers are erected close to the graves to indicate the names of these buried there.

“We bury our bodies and carry out the funeral prayers for the lifeless,” al-Ibrahimi mentioned. “We’re not right here to receives a commission or something, we’re doing this for God.

“I’m so very grateful that almost all of my household and shut ones, we have been all already displaced and dwelling within the tent camps. However we’re right here, doing this work as a result of these individuals who died listed below are our households too, that’s what made us come out right here to assist.”

gravediggers filling in the trench
The volunteer gravediggers begin filling within the mass grave [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]

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