- Title: "This is my home" Syrian worshipper says over closed mosque
- Date: 23rd March 2020
- Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MARCH 20, 2020) (REUTERS): VARIOUS OF SYRIAN MOSQU-GOER, BUTHAINA, HEADING TO THE UMAYYAD MOSQUE VARIOUS OF BUTHAINA AT MOSQUE'S MAIN GATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOSQUE-GOER, BUTHAINA, SAYING: "This mosque is my home. It gathers us together with good people, we see each other, meet up, we gather together and attend religious lessons." VARIOUS OF BUTHAINA SITTING NEXT TO MOSQUE GATE VARIOUS OF BUTHAINA USING A DIGITAL PRAYER BEAD BUTHAINA SITTING NEXT TO MOUSQUE GATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOSQUE-GOER, BUTHAINA, SAYING: "I do not want to leave. I want to sit here a little bit more then go to my friend's house." JOURNALIST ASKING: "Do you pray at your friend's?" "Yes, I will pray there." EXTERIOR OF MOSQUE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET INTO THE MOSQUE CLOSED GATES EXTERIOR OF MOSQUE VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING WITH PIGEONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOSQUE-GOER, BUTHAINA, SAYING: "Today I felt that the pigeons are hungry. I come every Friday and see them flying above, but today there and I just saw bread for them to eat." CLOSED GATE VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF MOSQUE
- Embargoed: 6th April 2020 16:26
- Keywords: COVID-19 Coronavirus Mosque Closure Prayers Syria Woman
- Location: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- City: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Human-Led Feature,Human-Led Stories
- Reuters ID: LVA001C69W28L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:After Syria's Umayyad mosque shut down over coronavirus fears last week, 44-year-old mosque-goer, Buthaina, felt as though she lost her home.
The mosque was ordered shut as part of government measures to curb the spread of the virus in the war-ravaged country.
"This mosque is my home," she said after standing by the closed gates, praying silently.
Buthaina was displaced from Daraa in 2011 before settling in Damascus, where her daily visits to the mosque began, for worship and religious lessons.
"I do not want to leave. I want to sit here a little bit more then go to my friend's house," she added.
Syria confirmed its first case of the coronavirus on Sunday (March 22) and the health minister said it was taking "necessary measures" regarding the 20-year-old woman, who he said would be quarantined for 14 days and given medical checks.
There have been unconfirmed reports in recent weeks of coronavirus cases in Syria, whose health system, housing and infrastructure have been ravaged by nine years of civil war, but the authorities have denied any outbreak or cover-up.
Damascus announced a ban on public transport on Sunday as it stepped up a lockdown introduced in recent days, including the closure of mosques, schools, parks, restaurants and various public institutions, as well as calling off army conscription.
(Production: Firas Makdesi, Kinda Makieh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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