Syrian man rescues birds from quake-damaged home

STORY: This Syrian man rescued his birds from the earthquake

Location: Jandaris, Syria

Omar Hussein Al-Ahmad first fled his home with his wife and kids

He then returned to his damaged house to save his pets

and brought them back to this camp for the displaced

[Omar Hussein Al-Ahmad, Syrian quake survivor] "A couple of pigeons survived, but ten other pairs died under the rubble. We brought them here to the camp."

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"The house was completely destroyed. If we set these birds free, they wouldn't survive, they need care and a special type of food."

The combined death toll in Turkey and Syria has climbed to more than 42,000

Many survivors have been left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures