Pigeons fly above the ruins in Syria - in pictures

Abdulhamid Hana, a 50-year-old Syrian pigeon keeper, keeps the birds on the roof of his home in the eastern city of Raqqa

Pigeon fancier Abdulhamid Hana's birds land on the roof of his home in Raqqa, eastern Syria. Handed down through the generations, the practice of domesticating pigeons crosses the Middle East, North Africa and beyond, with people not only training birds for racing and homing competitions, but also serving them up as a delicacy. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana releases one of his birds from the roof of his home in Syria's eastern city of Raqqa. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana's pigeons fly over Raqqa with sunshine on their backs. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana's pigeons fly over damaged buildings in Raqqa, eastern Syria. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana, the 50-year-old Syrian pigeon keeper, watches as his birds arrive on the roof of his home in Raqqa, Syria. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana prepares his pigeons to fly the coop at his home in Raqqa, eastern Syria. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana prepares one of his pigeons, with a distinctive basal knob over its beak, for its flight over Raqqa in eastern Syria. AFP

A pigeon takes off as Abdulhamid Hana and his other birds look on. AFP

A flurry of feathers as pigeons fly from the roof of Abdulhamid Hana's home in Raqqa, eastern Syria. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana's pigeons gather on his roof in Syria's eastern city of Raqqa. AFP

Man and pigeons - Abdulhamid Hana continues a long tradition of bird keeping from his home in Raqqa, eastern Syria. AFP

Pigeons take off from the roof of Abdulhamid Hana's home in Syria's eastern city of Raqqa. AFP

The busy flight of pigeons from Abdulhamid Hana's home in Raqqa paints a contrast with the empty ruins in the surrounding neighbourhood. AFP

Abdulhamid Hana's pigeons on the wing over Raqqa in eastern Syria. AFP

A pigeon belonging to Abdulhamid Hana appears to stand guard over his home in the city of Raqqa, eastern Syria. AFP

More galleries from The National:

Hunting for truffles in Iraq's Samawa desert - in pictures

Egypt's pigeons among the pyramids - in pictures