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Iyad Khadur al-Hammush, a 39-year-old Syrian who lost both legs and an eye after stepping on a landmine planted by PKK/YPG terrorists, is preparing to return to his homeland after the fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8.
Thanks to prosthetic legs fitted in Türkiye, al-Hammush looks forward to reuniting with his family in Syria.
Al-Hammush, who chose to stay in Syria after the civil war erupted, was severely injured in 2018 when he stepped on the mine. After initial treatment in Turkish Kilis province, he was transferred to Adana province, where he underwent seven surgeries to save his right eye.
Despite these efforts, he lost vision in one eye, and both his legs were amputated below the knee.
In 2019, al-Hammush was fitted with prosthetic legs, marking the beginning of his physical and emotional recovery. He reunited with his family in the central Türkiye province of Kayseri, where he found work at a grocery store to make ends meet.
Al-Hammush celebrated the fall of the Baath Party regime, expressing joy and hope for Syria's future. After six years away, he plans to return permanently during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, carrying with him the dream of rebuilding his life and his country.
‘Sacrificing everything for Syria’
Born in the Al-Bab district of Aleppo, the father of four, told Anadolu that the Syrian civil war has deeply affected millions.
Recalling the landmine explosion that changed his life, he said, "I lost my legs and an eye and spent about a month in treatment. I waited until my wounds healed to be fitted with prosthetics," he said.
"To sacrifice everything for my country is a normal thing for me. I can sacrifice everything for Syria," he said.
He plans to bow down in prayer when he sets foot on Syrian soil. "We will rebuild our country under any circumstances, whether we have money or not. Returning home is enough," he said, thanking Türkiye and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for supporting Syrian refugees.
Expressing his optimism about Syria's future, al-Hammush said, "We got rid of the dirty gangs and those who have been tormenting us for 50 years. They destroyed our homes and forced us to migrate. But now, we will return and rebuild step by step."
Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
