Syrian artists transform bombed-out house into a mural of remembrance, in photos

DARAYA, Syria (AP) — In the war-ravaged town of Daraya, on the outskirts of Damascus, a group of young Syrian artists has turned the ruins of a bombed-out house into a canvas of remembrance. On the collapsed ceiling, they painted a colorful graffiti mural honoring families lost during years of conflict .

The project was led by Bilal Shoraba, seen in a yellow T-shirt, who was an activist and graffiti artist during the Syrian army’s siege of Daraya between 2012 and 2016. During that time, when the city became a center of resistance to then-President Bashar Assad’s rule, Shoraba created about 30 graffiti works as quiet acts of defiance.