Maaret al-Numan City, Idlib Province, Syria - Recent

Storyline:
Men recalled their days volunteering to defend cultural relics in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib Province in northwest Syria amid conflict.

The Museum of Maaret al-Numan suffered partial damage due to sabotage by opposition forces during their conflict with Syrian government troops in 2012.

Fortunately, the majority of the museum's archaeological holdings, including its world-famous mosaic paintings, were protected by local young citizens.

In the summer of 2012, the opposition forces stormed Maaret al-Numan, and government troops were too exhausted to provide timely support.

Initially, the museum staff stayed on site, awaiting government staff to transfer the collection. As the fighting intensified and roads were blocked, the staff realized the collections were at risk of being looted.

At this critical moment, some local young people volunteered to safeguard the museum.

These men said they used sticks as weapons and sandbags to defend the museum.

The museum's iron gate is very heavy, and although the opposition forces have guns, they lack artillery and thus cannot easily breach it.

Nonetheless, it takes great courage to face armed men with guns for months using only sticks.

During the defense efforts, some of these young people were shot and some made the ultimate sacrifice. In retaliation, the opposition forces even took their families from their homes and executed them.

Despite these horrors, these men said that no one retreated during those years.

Under their protection, Syrian government staff successfully transferred most of the museum's collections.

The government has now begun the restoration and rehabilitation of the museum and has reinstalled the mosaic murals they safeguarded.

Shotlist:
Maaret al-Numan City, Idlib Province, Syria - Recent:
1. Various of buildings;
2. Various of mosaic paintings;
3. Men receiving interview;
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) man (name not given) (starting with shot 5):
"We gathered about 50 young people to safeguard this place day and night. We piled sandbags in front of the paintings as a protective measure because the opposition forces kept attacking us, whether at night or during the day."
5. Man receiving interview;
6. Various of men at museum;
7. Various of man showing video of original look of museum;
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) man (name not given) (partially overlaid with shot 9/ending with shot 10):
"Even without weapons, we must defend our civilization. The opposition forces want to steal our entire civilization. They are just thugs who destroy the civilization and history of this country under the instruction of external forces. We are defending what we believe in."
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
9. Men weeping;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
10. Various of mosaic murals.

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