On February 2, 1982, the Syrian government army launched a large-scale military operation, with various weapons, on the city of Hama. According to human rights sources, the operation resulted in the killing of 30-40 thousand civilians, and the forced disappearance of thousands.
Human rights activists say that these practices continued during the period of Assad Jr’s rule. The story of the Ahmed family, in its details, shows the extent of the tragedy that Syria experienced under a oppressive regime.