For the past two days, Syrian activists and the anti-Assad rebels have been mourning and remembering one of the icons of the 2011 Revolution against Bashar Assad and his regime, Abdelbaset Sarout.
Sarout, a 27-year-old football goalkeeper, singer, and song composer who led massive peaceful protests when it first broke out against Assad in 2011 in his city, Homs, is one of the revolution strongholds and birthplaces, died on Saturday of his wounds after suffering injury in a battle with government forces.
The story of Abdel Baset Sarout sums up the story of Syrian revolution. Everyone is sad to see him go. I'm not a fan of radicalization but Sarout has contributed so much to human rights struggles more than the western left has done in decades. #RIP #عبد_الباسط_ساروت https://t.co/1lz70hF5fx
— B-Shark (@Bashar24836440) June 8, 2019
Besides the thousands of people who have gathered to participate in the funeral of Sarout on Sunday in Turkey, where he was transferred to receive medical treatment, there were hundreds, if not more, who mourned him on the internet.
Watching videos of al Saroot’s funeral procession: Cheap Akkad motorcycles, pick-up trucks, tanned brown arms in fake designer t-shirts and jeans, and the revolution’s green flag fluttering in the wind. Syria’s real proletariat, forsaken by the world, mourning one of their own.
— Maysaloon (@Maysaloon) June 9, 2019
Several videos were shared on social media from his funeral, during which the Syrian revolution flag was raised.
The funeral of Abdulbaset al-Saroot in Reyhanlyi, southern Turkey #عبد_الباسط_الساروت pic.twitter.com/pIuK7PqOKS
— Hussein Akoush (@HusinRMA) June 9, 2019
#Abdul_Baset_al_Sarout : Thousands attended the hero martyrs' funeral in Rihaniyah Turkey as he ascended to heaven. ?#عبد_الباسط_الساروت pic.twitter.com/cwqjRQVvJk
— Christian Turner (@CombatChris1) June 9, 2019
Other videos from funerals held in different cities in Syria; including Idlib and Homs have gone viral as well.
The funeral of Abdul Basset #Sarout in #Idlib#Syria #Syrie #Hama #Aleppo #HTS #Turkey pic.twitter.com/yVT0N9M99S
— JOUNAIDI36 (@Jounaidi36) June 10, 2019
Known as “Singer of the Revolution”, Abdelbaset Sarout rose to fame as a player for his home city and won international titles representing Syria, before peaceful protests broke out in Syria against the regime in 2011 which changed his life forever.
The story of Abdel Baset Sarout sums up the story of Syrian revolution. Everyone is sad to see him go. I'm not a fan of radicalization but Sarout has contributed so much to human rights struggles more than the western left has done in decades. #RIP #عبد_الباسط_ساروت https://t.co/1lz70hF5fx
— B-Shark (@Bashar24836440) June 8, 2019
Later on, and as the country slid into war, Sarout led fighters against government forces to survive the regime forces siege of Homs city, before the government declared him a traitor and banned him from soccer. The government has also offered a reward for information leading to Sarout’s arrest.
As a revolution icon, Sarout remained on the rebels front until his very last days while calling Syrians to unite against government forces.
Despite attempts to affiliate him with jihadi groups and extremists, a spokesperson of Jaish Al-Izza, a rebel group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, mainly active in northern Hama and its surroundings, went to the media to confirm Sarout was leading a group of fighters in the group.
الخلاف ليس حول #عبد_الباسط_الساروت بل حول من يحاول أن يدعشن كل رافض ومعارض للداعشي الأول #بشار_الأسد
— Tony Abi Najem (@tonyabinajem) June 8, 2019