An Olympic games to escape the war in Syria

1Idlib, in northwestern Syria, is home to nearly three million people, two-thirds of them displaced from other parts of the country by the ten-year war.

Most of those who have lost their homes live in camps scattered throughout the jihadist-dominated region, which depend on humanitarian aid to survive and face cold and floods in winter.

In the city of Fuaa, in the last great rebel stronghold in the area, they have held the so-called Camp 2020 Olympic Games. OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

2Javelin throw, high jump, obstacle course and judo: thousands of kilometers from Tokyo, 120 children from 12 different camps have gathered for their own version of the Olympic Games, during the final stretch of the Olympics in Japan , which have been held from July 23 to August 8.

OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

3They are between eight and 14 years old, they are dressed in bibs in the colors of their camp and competed in a variety of disciplines: discus throwing, high jump, martial arts, gymnastics, badminton ... But also racing and even horseback riding fictitious, in which the competitors pranced with a cardboard animal.

OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

4A javelin that spins in the air, a teenager who touches the bar in the high jump, another who fails his somersault in gymnastics and lands on his back ... More than performance, the important thing is to have a good time.

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5The human bill for the war in Syria exceeds half a million people;

Almost 12,000 of those dead were children, according to UNICEF data.

This 10-year conflict has stranded 27,500 minors of some 60 nationalities and several thousand Syrian infants in camps and detention centers in the northeast of the country.

Almost 90% of them need humanitarian assistance, a figure that has increased by 20% in 2021. OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

6 "The current escalation of violence in Syria, especially in the north, has killed or injured 45 children since the beginning of July."

In addition, this week four from the same family died in an attack in the city of Al-Qastoun, in Hama, in northern Syria.

In ten years of conflict, the death of minors has become commonplace.

Many families are mired in grief over an irreparable loss: their children.

Nothing justifies these killings, "added the international agency in a statement.

OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

7Under the gaze of the audience, two boys in karate outfits and orange belts look at each other and jump screaming, one foot in front of the other and throwing their fists into the air.

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8 "It is sad to see young Syrians participate with this refugee status," laments Ibrahim Sarmini, one of the organizers of the event, who in the image wears a mauve polo shirt with the logo of his NGO, the Violet organization.

"But it's great for us that there are real free heroes representing the people of northwestern Syria at the Olympics."

OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

9In the ocher dirt near the Yaman camp tents, the outlines of a soccer field were drawn with white chalk, near an oblong running track full of obstacles.

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10The goal of the event is "to make children discover different types of sports," explains Sarmini.

In the image, the different medals that were awarded to the winners of the tests.

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11 "We had a lot of fun," says 12-year-old Walid Mohamed al-Hassan.

"I got second place in the long jump," he continues without losing his smile, on the arm of three of his teammates.

OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP

12It is the end of the sports day.

As the sun goes down, the winners are announced.

Amid applause and cheers from the audience, they receive their medal on the podium, while confetti are thrown.

OMAR HAJ KADOUR AFP