Pokemon Go news 2016: Syrian children hold 'Pokemon Go' character photos, hoping 'world will find them'

Suzette Gutierrez Cachila Tuesday, July 26, 2016

As many people continue to find "Pokemon Go" characters in various locations, Syrian children pose for photos holding up pictures of the game's characters, hoping they will be found too.

In a move to get the world's attention on the plight of children in Syria who have suffered from years of civil war, a social media campaign was launched by the Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office.

Children play near the remnants of a bomb shell in the ground, which activists said were fired by a Syrian Air Force fighter jet loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in Daraya near Damascus December 23, 2012. | Reuters

The campaign features photos of children holding pictures of the game's characters. The children are standing beside destroyed famous landmarks in the country.

Below the "Pokemon Go" pictures, the children's names and towns are written along with a message that pleads for people to find and save them.

"I live in Kafr Nabl, the Aleppo countryside. Come catch me," said one of the messages, according to The Telegraph.

"I am in Kafrnabol in #Idlib countryside, come find me," another message said.

Still another message asked viewers to "please come and save me."

The photos, which have been widely circulated on social media, serve as a powerful reminder about the Syria crisis.

Graphic designer Saif Aldeen Tahhan also created a "Pokemon Go Syrian version" with images highlighting the devastation in the war-torn country.

He said his creation was meant to make the world look at the Syrian war and see the suffering in the country instead of simply going crazy about the popular "Pokemon Go" game.

"The world has become obsessed with this video game, so I told myself why not use it as a medium to convey our suffering," he told Al Arabiya, according to The Telegraph.

The civil war in Syria has been going on for five years. It has displaced more than 11 million residents who fled to other countries for safety. The war has also claimed the lives of about 400 million people and injured more than a million.

According to the United Nations, about 4.5 million people are living in areas that are difficult to reach. Civilians in such areas are prohibited from leaving and suffer from lack of food and medical care.

An estimated 250,000 children are still living under siege, according to non-government organization Save the Children.