SPECIAL REPORT The Bashar al-Assad regime responded with a mortar a minute right after Free Syrian Army targeted the regime’s checkpoint on the front line. They blasted back with another mortar round.

I was there, at that time, and I felt a sudden pressure, and after that came dead silence. We tried to hide behind the sandbags. I started to hear faint buzzing sounds, everything seemed to be moving in a slow motion.

Nervously, I looked at the  Free Syrian Army fighter by my side, who seemed much younger than me, not more than 20 years old, probably. “It’s okay. It’s fine. You are with us, you will be fine,” he tried to comfort me. I was surprised he spoke good English...