"I witnessed the massacre of my whole family, I have no one left."
"Can I commit suicide before they rape or kill me?"
This was a message, reportedly sent from a 25-year-old girl in Syrian capital of Aleppo – later received on 'WhatsApp' by Ahmad in Australia.
Ahmad is a Syrian refugee who fled Syria with his family two years ago. Now resettled in Australia, where he has been granted refugee status, he hopes he will have a better future for his kids, but says his heart is still in Syria.
A screenshot of the message Syrian migrant Ahmad received, reportedly from a 25-year-old woman who'd 'rather commit suicide and go to hell' than live there now Source: Supplied
"I'd rather commit suicide and go to hell because it is better than the hell that I am in."
The unnamed girl says she knows suicide is a sin in Islam but that "I don't care what religious leaders say."
"I'd rather commit suicide and go to hell because it is better than the hell that I am in."
While SBS was unable to independently verify the message as genuine, Ahmad explains that it is one of many he has received from back home. Many such messages, reportedly emanating from Aleppo have been shared both publicly and privately on social media among the Syrian migrant community in Australia in community groups such as Syrian House.
They form part of countless other messages sent out to the world from Aleppo since the battle culminated in the rebel retreat, that have gone viral on social media, as citizens who are now uncertain what their future holds, send out what they believe could be their final farewells.
Another message that Ahmad received from a young man read “This is my last massage to you, I will be either massacred or arrested after a while”.
Ahmad told SBS Arabic 24 that he has many relatives and friends still living in Aleppo, but that since the city was yesterday recaptured by the Bashar Al-Assad regime he has lost all communications with them.
“All the connections were lost since last night,” says Ahmad.
He also explains, “the shortage of food and water [continues] in the city since last week.”
Listen to Ahmad's full interview (in Arabic) with SBS Arabic 24 here:
The U.N. says it has reports of at least 82 civilians being killed by Syrian pro-government forces and their allies in what it calls “a complete meltdown of humanity”.
“Babies have been burnt alive,” Ahmad said of the reports he has received from friends and family at home.
He added that technology means everything is now documented step by step.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said he was "alarmed over reports of atrocities against a large number of civilians."
He emphasised though that the U.N. was "not able to independently verify these reports."
It claims people are being shot in their homes and in the street trying to flee in the last remaining rebel-held neighbourhoods in the city.
Samantha Power, the US Ambassador to the UN, spoke of the desperate pleas from the city's residents. And read out some of the messages that she received.
"A doctor named Muhammed Abu Rajab left a voice message: ‘This is a final distress call to the world. Save the lives of these women and children and old men. Save them. Nobody is left. You might not hear our voice after this.’”
Power continued: "A photographer named Amin al-Halabi wrote on Facebook: ‘I am waiting to die or be captured by the Assad regime. Pray for me and always remember us.’"
Watch Power’s full speech here:
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