Wearing a bright orange wig and colorful face paint, the “Clown of Aleppo” worked to bring laughter to children living in the ruins of the battle-torn city.
But now, the children and families who found joy in his antics are mourning his death, as the 24-year-old social worker Anas al-Basha was killed in the Mashhad neighborhood on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, NBC News reports.
Anas al-Basha could have fled Aleppo in July, according to a Facebook post written by Mahmoud al-Basha, who identified himself as Anas' brother, but he stayed behind to help other civilians and their children.
“He lived to make children laugh and happy in the darkest most dangerous place,” reads Mahmoud's post.
