A Syrian pianist reunited with his family, who took refuge in Turkey eight years ago.
Adnan Al Asmar lived with his family in Azaz in northwestern Syria. He sent his mother and two sisters to Turkey when the civil war erupted.
Asmar chose to stay in Syria and not to leave Syrians without music because it was a ray of hope.
Nearly seven months ago, he joined the Yunus Emre Institute's Cultural Center in Azaz, where Turkey cleared the region off YPG/PKK terror groups with anti-terror operations.
Asmar told his story to Director Mert Talat Dilekcioglu.
Dilekcioglu could not remain insensitive to the issue and contacted Asmar's sister, Sahar.
The institute made preparations to reunite the family and organized an event in Turkey's southeastern Kahramanmaras province.
It brought his sisters and mother to Kahramanmaras from Turkey's southern Hatay province. The family reunited after eight years in a concert.
The mother, who saw her son playing the piano, broke into tears. The moment when the family reunited touched the audience.
Adnan Al Asmar told reporters that he was very affected by the surprise and was at a loss for words.
"I reunited with my mother and my siblings after a long time. I cannot express my feelings," he said.
He and his mother thanked officials who contributed to the event.
"He did not know that I came here. I have not seen my child for many years, thank you. You have reunited us," said his mother.
A civil war has ravaged Syria since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and to enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK-listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU-has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.
