War does not end when the fighting stops. It continues in the minds and hearts of those who survived, especially the most vulnerable in this situation: Children. There was a recent drone attack on the mosque in El-Fascher, Sudan, according to the UN, which killed at least eleven children that were praying at the time. This tragedy shows the pervasive suffering in conflict zones and highlights the need to address the psychological scars that long after the violence subsides. Literature can give a voice to the victims of war and serve as a powerful tool to spread awareness, reveal the harsh realities often hidden from the world, and remind us of the suffering, particularly children - whose lives are forever changed by the conflicts they never chose.

The mental impact of war continues long after peace is declared. In a study about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fariba kamahi and Adlin Karzy, currently studying science care at the university of Borås, investigates on how humans comprehend after a tragedy. According to them, surviving the war doesn't mean that it still won't have its affection on the witness. Those bearing witness to the war have a big chance to develop PTSD, which is a psychological disorder where the human body after a life threatening situation experiences physical symptoms, such as anxiety, fear and panic attacks. But Kamahi and Karzy indicate that war has psychological impact on every witness and not only the ones who develop PTSD. In the quote - ''The war does not end when peace is declared; its psychological impact persists, often hidden, in the minds of those who survived''. Explains that all survivors often experience symptoms, a sense of loss of control, fear, anxiety and existential suffering. Their research has shown that these effects are also particularly severe for children, meaning that their minds are still developing. A possible consequence could be that they can’t comprehend the violence they’ve witnessed. The same study indicated the importance of recognizing long-term effects of war and proclaims mental health support for those affected. The study emphasizes that now, more than ever to stand up for the victims and raise our voices and literature offers the most powerful way to do it.

This is why literature and poetry become essential. Poetry can bear witness to trauma in ways that statistics and news reports cannot. It allows survivors to express their pain through a voice, to document what they have seen and felt, and to create a connection with the outside world. Writing can be both a personal column and a form of testimony. By expressing their suffering through their poetry, children and adults alike can begin to process the unimaginable and reclaim some sense of control over their experience and spread awareness for those still in the situation. Furthermore, poetry allows the rest of us to see war through the eyes of those who endure it. The words of a child or survivor can communicate fear, loss, and hope in a way that awakens the empathy inside and helps understand each other. It reminds society that the victims of war are more than numbers in statistics. They are individuals with their own emotions and a potential future that deserves safeguarding.

The children in El-Fasher tragicly emplify why it is more important ever to stand up and put and end to those suffering. The children were not soldiers; they were praying in a place that should have been safe. The attack illustrates how war targets the innocent and leaves psychological scars that can manifest over lifetimes. Many survivors of such violence experience nightmares, anxiety and fear that can shape their lives. As Kamahi and Krazy note, the mental consequences of war are often insidious, hidden from view yet profoundly impactful. These experiences are deeply traumatizing.

In conclusion war does not end when the last shots are fired, it represents the psyches of those who survive. The drone attack in El-Fascher and the researchers Kamahi and Karzy show the post-war person is not the same as before, but could heal to a large extent, to the point that the victim can go on with their life, living in peace and be encouraged for the future. Poetry could help; it is a form of expression that provides a vital way of bearing the witness of these experiences and provides a source of strength and hope for those living through them. We can honor the suffering of survivors, amplify their voices, and, perhaps, move closer to a world that values peace and humanity above all else.

No sanctuary in war; prayers buried in dust,

I walked beneath the call of prayer,

seeking shelter in the house of good.

My bare feet yearning for help,

hoping/wishing for better.

I thought no harm could reach this ceiling,

no darkness could dare to follow me here.

It was supposed to be a safe space,

A safe space for the weary soul.

Then the thunder came - not from heaven,

but from men who carried death like fire,

The ones who were captured in this world,

engulfed in their ego and selfishness.

Still, my voice does not vanish.

it rises with the dust, with the cries of children.

Telling the world; even here

In God's own house, innocence was broken.

War has no boundary, no sacred walls.

It spares no place, shatters it all,

even the mosque is not left free.

It’s prayer crushed beneath brutality.

Leaving us haunted, our souls scarred deeply.

Helin Altunas