As their country crumbles, Syrians wrestle with the “terrifying” prospect of life as refugees
Saleem sees no hope for his future in Syria. At just 25, he’s made a good living as a singer at a restaurant in the capital’s old town. Now he’s saving whatever he can to finance what he expects to be a “terrifying journey to seek a new life abroad.”
His plan is to get into Lebanon first, and then try to get onto a plane to Turkey. From there, he’ll have to rely on people smugglers, using boats, buses, trains or whatever is necessary, to reach Germany or some other safe haven in Europe.
“It is not easy, I know,” he tells CBS News.
He also knows he’ll have to pack light. He chokes on his words and his eyes go red as he lists the few “cherished items” he can’t leave behind, among them, a photo of his mother and his music, which will remind him of home.
Over almost a decade of civil war, Syria has become a country of shifting borders, but clear lines: There are lines for bread, lines for gas, lines for sugar and rice. There aren’t nearly enough jobs, and power shortages mean routine blackouts.
The war has already driven more than half of Syria’s people to flee their homes. More than 5.5 million have fled the country, creating the largest population of refugees in the world. An estimated 6.6 million more have been displaced within Syria’s borders, according to the United Nations.
Opinions expressed in this article reflect the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Observatory.