Excerpt: Majjid Zammar, the official in the Aleppo governor’s office who is in charge of reconstruction for the historic Old City within the ancient walls, told Middle East Eye that 50,000 of the original 110,000 residents had returned.
“We are trying to repair buildings where possible rather than demolish them entirely. We want to use the original stone. People are asking us to keep it,” he said.
The 850 metres of alleyways in the ancient souk will take between seven and eight years to rebuild, he estimated. The Aga Khan Foundation development agency, which helped to restore the citadel before the war, has promised to help.
In western Aleppo, near what was the frontline, 400 boys and girls have just started the autumn term at the Karen Yeppe College, a secondary school for Armenians.
Source: Return to Aleppo: ‘I never expected such destruction’ | Middle East Eye
Ismailimail 