Last August, horrific footage emerged of the aftermath of an air strike on civilians during the siege of Aleppo, in Syria.

 

One particularly poignant image was that of little Omran Daqneesh, who was sitting in the back of a White Helmets ambulance, bleeding and covered in dust from the rubble. The five-year-old was sitting completely still and wasn’t crying, despite what had just happened to him.

 

New York Times journalist Anne Barnard shared the image of Facebook, because she said it resonated with her as a mother, herself.

 

“We can get numb seeing dead and injured children remotely day after day, but some pictures particularly get to the mom in me, and this is one,” she explained.

 

“Many kids come in without any family member by their side. I hope his are alive and can come soon.”

 

 

The heartbreaking image was circulated worldwide, and the little boy became the face of civilian suffering in the country’s bloody civil war.

 

Tragically, Omran’s brother Ali died from wounds sustained in the attack.

 

New footage has now emerged of the little boy, who appears to be doing well and living in government-held territory.

 

His family gave interviews to Syrian state media and pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV, according to The Independent.

 

Omran appears in the video sitting beside his father, playing with a ball and waving a Syrian regime flag.

 

 

Omran’s father claimed his son had been used as a “propaganda tool” by rebel forces, and said the family supported the regime.

 

“They wanted to trade in his blood, and published his photos," he said. He also said he did not hear a plane above their house before the deadly air strike took place.

 

The family used a different name for Omran and have given him a different haircut, to avoid attention from the media and from people who threatened to kidnap him after his photos appeared online.

 

However, some claim that Omran’s father had been forced to give the interview supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

 

“If I were in Omran’s father’s shoes and read this, I would feel my son Ali is being killed (again),” one rebel source said. 

 

Aleppo has since fallen to government forces after a bombing campaign backed by Russia.

19 Shares

Latest

Trending