Syrian Man Breaks Down Wall After 15 Years to Retrieve Hidden Library
A Syrian man who fled to Kuwait returned to his home in Homs after 15 years and broke down a concrete wall he built in 2011 to hide his censored library from the Assad regime.
A Syrian man has returned to his home in Homs and successfully dismantled a concrete wall he built 15 years ago to protect his private library from the Syrian civil war and regime censorship.
Protecting the Library from Assad's Regime
The wall was constructed in October 2011, just months after the uprising against the regime of Bashar al-Assad began. According to his son, Bilal Alwan, his father refused to leave Homs until he made sure the books were safely sealed behind concrete, fearing they would be damaged, destroyed, or confiscated during the conflict. The family later fled Syria, and Bilal now lives in Kuwait.
On August 24 of this year, Abu Bilal returned to the house and finally reached the moment he had awaited for over a decade. In footage shared widely online, he is seen wielding a hammer, carefully dismantling the wall he had built with his own hands, and pulling out shelves, volumes, and documents that had been sealed away for 15 years.
Rediscovering Hidden Literary Treasures
Behind the wall, hundreds of volumes were discovered, including scientific and religious texts, alongside personal documents, academic certificates, and Quranic study credentials. Despite the long years, local reports indicate that most of them survived in surprisingly good condition.
The rescue of the books by our father tells many stories, wrote Bilal in a post expressing deep gratitude for his father's foresight and dedication.
The story gained significant resonance due to the strict censorship imposed during the Assad family's rule, where books and publications perceived as critical of the regime or politically sensitive faced severe restrictions. For the family, uncovering the library carried profound emotional weight, symbolizing resilience after 15 years of war and exile.
