“It’s the least I can do for my country.” That was the last thing my childhood friend Ali said when we spoke by phone on August 14, just before he joined the Syrian army. Ali was called up by the elite Fourth Armoured Division. This unit, led by Maher al-Assad, the president’s brother,

Youssef Kanaan   Abu Meri’s young son died a year and a half ago, but he still speaks animatedly about him to anyone who visits him. His son was among the first people shot dead by Syrian security forces in the city of Deir el-Zor in eastern Syria, soon after protests against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

“The Battalion of Saddam Hussein” joins Free Syrian Army Free Syrian Army fighters announcing the formation of the Martyr Saddam Hussein Battalion The formation of the Battalion of Martyr Saddam Hussein of the Free Syrian Army, FSA, aroused a lot of controversy among Syrian activists. While many were outraged by the commemoration of the Iraqi dictator, others approved the name […]

Syrian journalist Rasha Rami reports on a demonstration she witnessed on September 1, 2012 in the city of Antioch in Turkey’s Hatay province, on the border with Syria. Demonstrators called for an end to Turkish cooperation with Syria’s opposition and the repatriation of refugees. The Turkish authorities banned subsequent protests, while officials in Hatay instructed Syrian nationals to remain in […]

Ward al-Assi “Deir El-Zor 10 kilometres.” I was soon to see that this road sign – the last before the city of Deir El-Zor – was the only thing still left intact in the area. I got off the bus about one-and-a-half kilometres away from the city’s entrance, and instead took a side road to get to my neighbourhood.

Razan Zaitouneh Salma comes home from the town of Zamalka every day feeling angry and gloomy. The young woman was forced to leave with her family several months ago. These days, Salma visits the town together with some friends to assist with cleaning up the streets, and to help people get back on their feet – both those who never […]

Kafr Owaid and the massacre curse The video contains scenes of dead bodies of civilians after the bombing of the village of Kafr Owaid (YouTube). Warning: the video contains scenes of strong violence. Kafr Owaid is a village in the province of Idlib in Syria, located about 20 km to the west of the city of Ma’arat Al-Nu’man. The village […]

Sulaf Zaidan I shall never forget that sentence – “There’s been a massacre in Barza.” A funeral was hit by gunfire that day. I was extremely angry. We were still not as used to killings as we are now, even though by then it was eight months since the start of the revolution. Many people must, like me, have been […]

Shadi Azzam More than 6,000 reservists were called up by the Syrian army in the southern province of Suweida in August, according to activists from Local Coordination Committees, LCC. Speaking on condition of anonymity, LCC activists said the estimated total was in line with figures leaked from recruitment offices. The call-up mainly targeted reservists from the infantry, special forces, Republican […]

The following article is based on an investigation conducted in Damascus several months ago. By Maamarji Abu Mahmoud took small sips of coffee as he told his story. Often his answers were no longer than two or three words – “thanks be to God”, “God willing”, “may God forgive them”. He asked his two little daughters to shake my hand, […]