During the early years of Syria’s brutal civil war, one neighbourhood close to the Syrian capital, Damascus, bore the brunt of the government’s viciousness.

During 2013-14, some 18,000 residents of Yarmouk, an area originally set up as a camp for Palestinian refugees, were continually subjected to bombardments from the air, or were shot at by army snipers or hit by mortar-fire. No one was allowed in or out of Yarmouk and many people came close to starvation – surviving only by eating grass, or dead animals.

Palestinian musician, Aeham Ahmad, lived in Yarmouk with his family. Known as ‘the Pianist of Yarmouk,’ Aeham tells Mike Lanchin about their struggle to survive the siege, and how music helped him overcome some of those dark days.

Listeners may find parts of this story distressing.

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(Photo: Siege of Yarmouk. Credit: Getty Images)

The Siege of Yarmouk

Witness History