Stories about Syria
Daraa protests burst the Syrian regime's bubble of election day
'Al-Assad voted in Douma, a prominent opposition stronghold, to send a message that the war ended and that he's the victor. But Daraa's protests thwarted the play he tried to pass'
Syrian humanitarian aid: It’s time to shift from assistance to long-term sustainable programs
The US and its allies refuse to engage in reconstruction that may end up benefiting the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Settlement pacts in Syria's Daraa: A hunt for dissidents
"Regime violations are not new...People of Dara'a were killed by air shelling and internationally-banned weapons. Thousands have been arrested. What is new is their silent death; death licensed by treaties."
‘Stop silencing MENA critical voices,’ say activists in open letter to Twitter and Facebook
A decade after uprisings heavily relied on social media to topple dictators across the region, human rights defenders denounce these platforms' discrimination against voices of dissent still fight for freedoms.
US in Syria: What to expect of the new administration?
Humanitarian considerations will be the main distinction between the two US administrations in Syria's war, where Washington vies to curb terrorist threats and Russia's influence in a vital region.
From death in Syria to quarantine in Madrid
In Madrid, freedom is forbidden for your protection, and in Syria, the deprivation of freedom is designed to make you die a thousand deaths.
In northern Syria, COVID-19 worsens an already dramatic humanitarian crisis
Despite the looming threat of COVID-19, military escalation has re-started in the form of a proxy war in Idlib, leaving peaceful civilians in ever-greater danger.
In Assad-controlled Syria, the official narrative is ‘no COVID-19 cases’
In order to maintain a facade of control, the Assad regime does whatever it takes to deny the presence of COVID-19 in the territories it controls.
COVID-19: Switching online is not an option in conflict-stricken countries in the Middle East
While the internet provides a lifeline in wealthy countries during COVID-19, this is not the case in conflict-stricken countries in the Middle East.
The nightmare in Syria continues amid new coronavirus fears
The gathering of displaced persons in Idlib, Syria, has sparked international concern that this community — living under the harshest conditions — could be deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
US withdrawal from Syria tests Russian soldiers’ social media use
New footage from Syria shows that despite new information security measures, the Russian military is willing to weaponise its soldiers' social media posts when it is timely to do so.
From Syria to the world: Notes on tyranny, war and despair
Based on actual events and stories, these Notes send the message that Syrians deserve to live in peace, dignity and freedom—just like everyone else in the world.
Painting the fears inside us all: A conversation with Syrian artist Rashwan Abdelbaki
Abdelbaki's art expresses what he sees as the “negative effects of racism, religion, and politics that are all striving to divide us and destroy our faith in humanity.”
‘Envision a new war': the Syrian Archive, corporate censorship and the struggle to preserve public history online
Social media companies are censoring images of war. The Syrian Archive is working to preserve them.
A look at Syria's long history of feminist movements
"The 2011 revolution was a revolution against everything, and so the women had a role as revolutionary activists at the forefront of the revolution"
EU proposal pushes tech companies to tackle ‘terrorist content’ with AI, despite implications for war crimes evidence
AI tools can assess whether a video is violent or graphic. But can they determine the video’s intended purpose?
How a Syrian photo collective is resisting Assad's narrative from within
"Through our stories we work hard to portray the current situation of the Syrian streets as it is, through the eyes of its people, reflecting how they feel."
France seeks three high-ranking Syrian officials in the deaths of French-Syrian nationals
The three officials are wanted in connection with the detention and subsequent disappearance of two French-Syrian nationals, Mazen Dabbagh and his son Patrick.
Syrian prisoners of conscience announce a hunger strike in Hama Central Prison, leaked footage reveals
"I had no political or partisan background. I just had a dream of a different Syria, so I joined my fellow Syrians who took to the streets in peaceful protests."
Crossing the Syrian-Turkish border: risks by the hour
"They sprinted over the 50-meter stretch between the asphalt road and the mountain... 30 minutes later, the guide stopped and told them that they had just crossed the danger zone."
Eastern Ghouta's displaced residents are stuck between a rock and a hard place
The displaced masses of Ghouta arrive in northern Syria tired, broken and burdened by unbearable memories and the pressure to begin their migratory lives with difficult choices.