Now 10 years on from the start of the Civil War, he is penniless, homeless and living in a tent in northern Idlib.

Far Worse Cartoon says he has lost his 13 Children and wife in the conflict.

After I went out following the revolution, I lost three Children and I started moving from one village to another.

Until I reached Saqib.

I lost another seven at the gas station.

I've lost 13 Children now, and my wife I'm amen.

His oldest child was 27 the youngest just 13 years old.

He says some were rebels opposed to President Bashar al Assad's government.

Speaking to Reuters through tears, Cartoon showed a video on his phone, which he said showed the grizzly execution of one of his sons.

Reuters could not independently verify his account of the civil war, but his story is not uncommon.

Yeah, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting that began with protests that quickly turned violent in 2011.

Millions more like cotton, have fled their homes for safer areas within Syria or as refugees abroad.

The Assad government denies that it tortures captives.

Moscow and Damascus also deny accusations of indiscriminate bombing of civilians, saying they only target radical militants.

Assad has survived the insurgency and now hold sway over many parts of the country.

Helped by Russia and Iran.

He is set to maintain power after a presidential election later this year.

As for Cotton, now 84 years old, he lives with his surviving grandchildren, and the wives of his dead son's animals are to help with them and me.

I'm a farmer and people knew this in the north, I used to work with 1800 acres and I used to be one of the leading farmers.

I'm a tough farmer now.

I am penniless, but I thank God for everything.