Damascus: After spending 15 years in Kuwait, a Syrian man has returned to his home in Damascus to recover a private library he sealed behind a wall before leaving the country in 2011.
Video footage shows Abu Bilal using a hammer to break through the concrete barrier, revealing shelves containing hundreds of books and magazines.
He built the wall in late October 2011 before travelling to Kuwait, amid strict security measures and censorship under Bashar al-Assad’s government. The collection included political, religious and intellectual works that he feared could put him at risk if discovered.
In the video, Abu Bilal recalls that the family did not know whether they would survive or return home when the library was sealed. After opening it, he examines the contents and expresses his gratitude at finding them in good condition.
The collection includes Quranic ijazat, certificates and prayer beads. Money that had also been stored inside the concealed space was recovered.
Watch the video here
Abu Bilal says only a small amount of dust had entered the room and that the books and other belongings remained intact.
The footage has attracted attention online, showing the moment the man recovered a collection he had left behind for 15 years.
Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia in December 2024 after opposition forces captured Damascus, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule.
