Not long ago, True Activist reported on a man named Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel who stayed behind in the war-torn city of Aleppo, Syria, to care for abandoned animals. He along with about a dozen others dedicated some of their time to care for the many domesticated felines and canines that were left when their owners fled to preserve their lives.

When Newsweek first interviewed Aljaleel, they learned that he would drive to a local butcher and purchase about $2.50-worth of scraps every day. Then, he would walk through a familiar neighborhood and hand out the food to approximately 150 cats. In the area and to many people around the world, he’s considered to be a hero for his kind heart and activism.

Unfortunately, negative news concerning the activist and the Il Gattaro d’Aleppo, a private cat sanctuary in Syria which he supposedly assists, has been brought to attention. Alessandra Abidin, who runs the private group and posts daily updates, recently shared that the animal sanctuary was bombed. She wrote:

“I’m so sorry to tell you that today our shelter was bomb[ed]. Some cats and our beautiful dog Hope is dead.”

The Dodo relays later an update sharing that Alaa’s home and his ambulance (which he drove) were both bombed. Fortunately, he and his family are fine.

Aleppo is the largest city in Syria, and has been a constant battleground since the civil war began in 2011. About 40,000 people fled the city to save their own lives. Some, like Aljaleel and Abidin, stayed behind to help out.

Abidin shares that soon after people began to leave, animals began flocking to her. In a year, she had taken in 100 cats – hence starting the animal sanctuary. The fate of the sanctuary is unknown, now that it has been bombed.

A page supporting Aljaleel’s candidacy for the Nobel Peace Prize also shared a video update. Smoke can be seen billowing from a skyline and the sound of bombs can be heard. One commentator can be heard saying,

“We need to tell Alaa that we’ll support him if he finds a somewhat safer place. We all knew this could happen. The most important thing is for Alaa, his brother, helpers and children to be safe. It’s a vicious war.”

The caption read: “Excuse us today we can not show you the cats.”

https://www.facebook.com/mohammadalaaaljaleel/videos/1272358202826426/

This news is undoubtedly heartbreaking. To learn of people who have dedicated their lives to helping others and innocent animals being attacked is probably one of the worst things to exist in this world. Fortunately, you as an activist have the power to spread positivity and hope by raising awareness about what’s going on in Syria and elsewhere, so that change might eventually take place.

Please share this news and comment your thoughts below.

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