DUBAI: Syrian photographer Abd Alkader Habak has been praised online for setting aside his camera to save a young child after a bomb hit a convoy of buses carrying evacuees from a village, killing 126 people, including 68 children.
Habak told CNN that he briefly lost consciousness during the blast but when he regained his senses, put his camera down and began checking bodies to check if the victims were still alive.
“The scene was horrible — especially seeing children wailing and dying in front of you,” Habak told CNN. “So I decided along with my colleagues that we’d put our cameras aside and start rescuing injured people.”
The first child he checked was already dead but Habak came upon a young boy who was barely breathing.
Picking him up, he ran toward a nearby ambulance and was captured on camera by another photographer, Muhammad Alrageb.
“This child was firmly holding my hand and looking at me,” Habak said.
Algareb said he also helped the injured but then returned to taking photos.
“I wanted to film everything to make sure there was accountability,” he told CNN.
The photograph has garnered praise online.
“Syrian photographer Abd Alkader Habak @AbdHabak, in the attack bombing near Aleppo ... RESPECT!” one person tweeted.

Syrian photographer Abd Alkader Habak @AbdHabak, in the attack bombing near Aleppo .. RESPECT! #SyriaHoax #Idlib #ISIS #AlNusra #Terrorism pic.twitter.com/BXJYQpt2fY

— The Godfather  (@Al_Pacino_) April 17, 2017

Another said: “Free Syrian journalist Abd Alkader Habak rescuing a child from Fua. No words.”

Free Syrian journalist Abd Alkader Habak rescuing a child from Fua. No words.#Syria #syrianchildren #journalist pic.twitter.com/EgZJU83dpM

— Aisyah Gozali (@Aisyah_Gozali) April 16, 2017