MP Fares Shehabi on Damascus International Fair (2018)

On September 6, 2018, the day of the opening of the 60th Damascus International Fair, I spoke to Aleppo MP Fares Shehabi. He spoke of the fair and fairs prior, noting that last year's fair was bombed by what the West dubs "moderate" terrorists [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-mortar/six-people-killed-in-mortar-attack-at-damascus-fair-monitor-idUSKCN1B00MX], and that for 6 years the fair was not held at all, again due to the terrorists who were surrounding Damascus.

Fares Shehabi:

“The 59th fair, last year, was in August. Those in eastern Ghouta, the so-called 'rebels', al-Qaeda gangs, they targeted the entry of this fair and killed some people, visitors and participants. One lady from old Damascus, was killed, she was participating in this fair—she had a clothing garment factory—and she was killed at the door, along with three or four people.

Thank God the Syrian army liberated eastern Ghouta and we don't have any more terrorists there, and everybody's free now, and safe—that's most important.”

"We expect high participation from many countries and local firms. It's about a political statement, an economic statement, that we won this war and we will win also the reconstruction war, and this is just one proof of it."

This year, with eastern Ghouta and areas around Damascus liberated of terrorists, the fair can proceed in peace.

Syria continues to show the world what strength, resilience, humanity and love remain as ever in this beautiful nation.

Related:
https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2018/09/25/damascus-trade-fair-and-festival-of-the-cross-mark-the-return-of-peace-to-much-of-syria/