Heartwarming Photograph Of Syrian Father And Son By Turkish Photographer Wins 'Photo Of The Year'

Turkish photographer Mehmet Aslan won the "photo of the year" at the annual Siena International Photo Awards 2021 on October 23 for his photo of a Syrian refugee and his son in Hatay, Turkish province. Titled Hardship of Life, the picture showcases Munzir, the father, who lost one of his legs in a bombing in Syria's Idlib, holding his son Mustafa up in the air, who was born without limbs.

In the photograph, Munzir can also be seen resting his right limb on a crutch while his son reflects a bright smile while looking at him. The family now resides in southern Turkey near the Syrian border, after fleeing Idlib, where they have been looking for prosthetics for Mustafa.

A Photograph That Speaks

The child was born with a rare disorder by the name of tetra-amelia, which is characterised by the absence of all limbs. According to the Siena International Photo Awards website, this was "caused by the medications his mother Zeynep had to take after being sickened by nerve gas released during the war in Syria".

The mother of the child, in a report published by The Washington Post, was quoted as saying: "The picture has reached the world…We've tried for years to get our voices heard by anyone who would listen, to help with his treatment. We'd give anything to give him a better life."

The report further stated that Aslan first met the family in southern Turkey where they used to live in a shop.

The photograph has massively moved people across the globe. Washington bureau chief for Anadolu Agency Hakan Copur took to Twitter and posted the pic and said: "Just one picture tells everything about what happened in #Syria." Furthermore, others have also taken to social media to share the heart marking photograph of the father and son duo with emotional captions.

Aslan also conveyed his gratitude after receiving the award and stated that there were entries from 163 countries into the annual photography competition.

Fotoğrafın Hikayesi :Münzir, Suriye'de çarşıda alış veriş yaparken düşen bombanın etkisiyle sağ bacağını kaybediyor. O sıralarda hamile olan eşi atılan sarin (sinir) gazını soluyor. Dünyaya gelen mustafa sarin gazının etkisiyle hiç bir uzvu olmadan dünyaya gözlerini açıyor.

— Mehmet Aslan (@aslanmehmet) October 22, 2021

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