In the remains of the walls and pillars of a Roman temple dating back to the second century, Abdul Aziz al-Hassan puts up a tent to house him and his family, preferring this archaeological site in the Baqerha area over the crowded camps for the displaced in northwestern Syria.

Similar to Abdulaziz, several displaced families have chosen to reside in archaeological sites in the Baqerha area and its vicinity, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, after a Russian-backed attack by the regime forces forced them to leave their villages and towns in southern Idlib.

About 1.5 million displaced people are staying in more than a thousand camps along the border between Idlib and Turkey. Now more than ever, these families fear overcrowding in light of the coronavirus pandemic and the growing fear of a health "disaster." 

"I chose this place to ensure peace of mind and to get away from crowded places and those where there are diseases," Abdel Aziz, a father of three, told AFP. 

The man in his thirties placed his tent among the remains of three ancient walls, surrounded by huge stones and the remains of columns that fell throughout history dating back to the Roman temple of Zeus Pomus and is known by residents today as "Burj Baqirha." In the region, there are many monuments dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras.

Near the tent, and among huge stones protecting it from the wind, Abdel Aziz placed a small stove in which firewood was lit for cooking and a panel that worked on solar energy to provide hot water for bathing. A washing rope hung between the walls of the temple.

Snakes and scorpions

Mamoun Abdel Karim, the former director general of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, told AFP in Damascus that Baqereh "is one of the important sites because it sheds light on the rural development in this region during the Roman and Byzantine eras," noting that there are buildings that are still "in a state of preservation." 

The Roman temple dates back to the second century AD, according to Greek writings on the site.

There are two churches near it, the first dating back to 501 AD and the second, a large basilica, dating back to 546.

Northwestern Syria includes about forty villages, including Baqerha, that date back to between the first and seventh centuries AD from the Byzantine era. UNESCO has placed it on the World Heritage List.

According to the organization's website, it includes archaeological sites for a number of dwellings, pagan temples, churches, basins and public baths. It is considered "an important evidence of the transition from the pagan history of the Roman Empire to the Christian era in the Byzantine era."

But life in this deserted area is not an easy matter, as it is necessary for Abdulaziz's children to walk about 1.5 kilometers to reach the village school in an area where scorpions and snakes are rampant.

"Two days ago, a snake was killed near the (tent) door, after my son entered Ali, shivering," he recounts. "Every two days we kill a scorpion ... but we did not find a better place than this place," he added.

Almost a year has passed since Abdulaziz's displacement, and he has not yet been able to return despite the ceasefire agreement reached in March 2020 sponsored by Russia and Turkey to stop the attack that drove about a million people to flee. About 235,000 have returned, according to United Nations estimates.

Recently, local officials asked them to leave the place, but the family refused because they were unable to secure an alternative, while they were struggling to secure a bottle of gas or water from the neighboring village.

“Where should we go?” Saleh, a relative of Abdulaziz asks, as he is unable to travel, put up a tent again, or even rent a car to transport his belongings, despite his fear of the winter season and the difficulties that will come with him.

With the aim of deporting the displaced from the archaeological area, the local council in the neighboring village of Ras Al-Hosn seeks to find alternative solutions. He hopes that the relevant organizations will help move them to camps that are being set up in a nearby area.

However, Abdel Aziz says, "We got used to the place."