The time is 4.47 pm in Syria and a Russian military aircraft is seen on a mission taking off from Russia’s air base located at Hmeimim in Western Syria, veering towards the eastern direction.
All the three details are carefully noted by an observer who then launches an app on his phone and then enters the information into three designated fields.
And by now just fourteen minutes have passed when 100 kilometers away, another person is able to see an aircraft flying over his town of Maaret al-Numan. Upon noticing, he opens up his own app on the phone and types Maaret al-Numan, Russian military aircraft, headed northeast.
A programme known as Sentry processes the whole data that helps in estimating the trajectory of the plane and sends out a warning via wide networks of social media platforms etc along with loud sirens all through the cities in opposition-held Syria. The social media platforms include Facebook and Telegram messages.
Millions of Syrians experience air strikes on a daily basis as a part of their routine especially in rebel-held areas which becomes far more intense since Russia joined the war in the year 2015.
Before the introduction of Sentry, the people of Syria were able to learn about new air strikes was only when they heard the planes coming.
“There was no use for one to do anything. Sometimes we would actually see the barrels as they fell,” she said via Skype, referring to the barrel bombs dropped in the rebel areas and filled with shrapnel and explosives “We would watch and see the barrels fall and the children would cry.”
Omayya completed a course organized by the volunteers about the Sentry programme and about how to survive air strikes. She now has learned that the blast pressure of the blast could shatter the glass of the window if she does not keep it open and also learned that this is the best place to hide in the bathroom.
A total of Omayya’s six grandchildren were taught by the volunteers about what they need to do if they learn that there will be a strike on their school. One of the volunteers said that the children just need to go under their desks and take the form of fetal position if they hear any alarm regarding the strike. If the warning is much before time, teachers can take the children down to the basements of the buildings.
The campaign targets women on a priority basis, Naela said:”Women always carry their mobiles with them, so they get the message wherever they are, whether they are at home, in the kitchen, with their neighbor.”
The beforetime warning system programme was founded by John Jaeger and his business partner Dave Levin from the US, both of whom have held a job working with Syrian civilians for the US State Department.
“I recognized that the biggest threat to peace inside of Syria was the indiscriminate bombing of civilians,” Jaeger explained. “We simply thought that there was more than the international community could and should do to warn civilians in advance of this indiscriminate violence.”
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