In Aleppo鈥檚 ancient district of Bab al-Hadid, the basalt stone alleyways and aged limestone buildings speak to a history that has long transcended the fluctuations of war. Yet the violence today has not spared the mosques of this quarter, or people鈥檚 lives.
鈥淔ive people died in this house,鈥� says Sheikh Ahmad Habush, taking a visitor on a walk. Up one alley, an entire house has been destroyed by a single barrel bomb 鈥� a barrel full of TNT dropped from a helicopter. 鈥淭hree people died there,鈥� he says, pointing. Then he issues a warning: 鈥淲atch out for snipers, they are in that high building.鈥�
Several shots ring out, striking the area harmlessly. Mr. Habush says sarcastically: 鈥淭his president loves his own people, he gives them presents.鈥�
He received his own 鈥済ift鈥� some time ago. Habush shows where shells landed on his centuries-old house; shrapnel cut through the walls and upstairs rooms, a toppled child鈥檚 bicycle nearby. In the courtyard below four parakeet cages sit empty in a corner.
Musicians once gathered every Wednesday night inside the meeting hall here, its red velvet cushions now dusty. In the cool dark, a table is littered with remains of old coffee, cigarette butts. Amid the silence, Habush holds a photo of him performing a year ago in New York, one of 100 countries where he says he has played.
鈥淢any people outside Syria hate the Syrian people, because they think they are just like the government, but they are simple and lovely,鈥� says Habush. 鈥淔or 40 years, the regime taught people lies and told them: 鈥榊ou must love the regime, or we will imprison you, or kill you.鈥欌��
Awards stand on one shelf, one from the 鈥淐ulture Administration of Aleppo.鈥� Habush wipes away tears when asked about the future.
鈥淭he end is not so close, because the Iranians support [Assad], the Russians and Hezbollah,鈥� says Habush. 鈥淵et everything has an end, and finally this revolution will win. The Assad family are killers 鈥� everyone knows it. For Syrians, Bashar is finished in their hearts and their minds. But it will take time.鈥�
