Syrian artist helps people to express their feelings

A painter usually works on a canvas, but for Syrian artist Aziz al Asmar, his city is his canvas. He paints on the walls of destroyed houses in the rebel-held town of Binnish in Syria's northwestern Idlib province.

Binnish is in a de-escalation zone established by Turkey, Russia and Iran. But it's held by Hayat Tahrir al Sham, formerly known as Al Nusra Front.

The group's not part of the ceasefire, so Binnish is routinely attacked by regime forces and hit by air strikes 

Its resident often go without food and electricity. But they find a source of strength in Asmar's art.

"His paintings put hope in our hearts. He used to encourage people, telling them to pull themselves together because we still have a long way until the fall of the regime. We came to a time in which hope was almost lost," a resident from Binnish, Omar Qadour says.

Asmar also helps children of Binnish to express themselves, using the art therapy.

TRT World's Keiran Burke brings their story.