Martyr of truth: The story of Issam's dream and sacrifice

Issam Abdallah used to dream of having a small tent on the rooftop of his house in the countryside, overlooking the plains that distanced him from the city's working and living conditions.

He was enthusiastic to invite all his friends to it so they could get to know the beauty of the South and prove that the South is more than just war and destruction.

But just before he could realize this dream, the war broke out.

A week ago, he had his last meeting with his family, after which he disappeared from his home, dedicating himself to field coverage as a photographer for Reuters.

From the place he cherished the most, the land, Issam posted his last stories on Instagram, specifically from where he was martyred. His sister Abir reposted his picture, writing, "Proud sister... God bless you," referencing the rising smoke.

But now, the proud sister has a broken heart. "Every time I express my pride in him, but I felt it differently this time. I was worried about him, especially when I saw the smoke behind him… and look what happened."

Abir's fear may have been the same fear that Issam had.

Just a few days ago, Issam reportedly told one of his friends that he didn't want to die in the South and have his death declared as that of a "journalist" without guilt. But this is what happened.

His only guilt was that he was doing his job professionally, just like every time, in every coverage, to support his family, who had lost their support.

With the loss of Issam, it's not only the media community that lost a dedicated and professional colleague but also a brave, fun, positive, and morally beautiful human being.

Every journalist doing his/ her duty of conveying the truth could have been a target for the occupation authorities, who brutally targeted Issam and his colleagues.

And if Issam's martyrdom goes unnoticed, without accountability, it's possible to have other victims in any upcoming coverage.