Syria
All countries-
Hezbollah and the Gaza war
Caught out by its own propaganda
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has a penchant for using strong words. His terrorist organisation has no interest, however, in the Israeli war escalating uncontrollably
-
Kurdistan + 100
Stories from a future republic
"Kurdistan + 100" is the third anthology in Comma Press's "future past" series, and a fourth – Egypt + 100 – is set to be published next year. Writers are asked to imagine a moment in the future connected to an event in their shared past
-
Refugees
Battling public mood, Turkey quietly assimilates Syrians
Mahmud Abdi came to Turkey hoping to return once the bloodshed ebbed. Almost a decade later, the 30-year-old carpenter is looking to open his own workshop in the southeastern Turkish city of Sanliurfa, where a quarter of the two million inhabitants are Syrian
-
Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Living in constant fear of deportation
About two million Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon since the start of the war. However, since the Lebanese economy has nosedived, life for the refugees has become increasingly difficult. This year, Lebanese authorities have stepped up their deportations of Syrian refugees. By Andrea Backhaus in Bar Elias
-
Earthquake aftermath
Asbestos lurks in Turkey's earthquake zone
An exclusive DW investigation has revealed the health threat posed by asbestos in Turkey's Hatay province in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023. Health experts are deeply concerned for residents. By Serdar Vardar and Pelin Ünker
-
Syrian literature
Acclaimed writer Khaled Khalifa dies aged 59
Award-winning author, poet and screenwriter Khaled Khalifa has died at his home in Damascus. Although one of his country's most celebrated writers, his novels were banned in Syria
-
Bashar al-Assad in China
Will Xi Jinping help to end Syria's isolation?
Largely isolated since Syria's civil war began in 2011, President Bashar Assad will return home from a trip to China with a new "strategic partnership" in the works. Fu Yue reports
-
The Armenian genocide
"Genocide is a feminist issue"
Dots, crosses, lines: tattoos like these were inked on surviving Armenian women after the genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Historian Elyse Semerdjian uses the tattoos to tell their story. Interview by Anna-Theresa Bachmann
-
War in Syria
Young Syrians' deep sense of alienation
How has the war in Syria affected the attitudes and perspectives of Syrian teenagers growing up during this tough time? Now 25, Jenan Aljundi was 13 when things turned violent. In this personal essay she provides insight into the alienation felt by a young woman remaining in Syria, while friends and family emigrated
-
Arab states in crisis
In search of a miracle cure
Given the political, economic and social challenges in Arab countries, fragmented individual measures are no longer enough. What is needed is comprehensive, far-reaching reform. Essay by Marwan Muasher
-
The last Syrian
Dreaming of freedom
In his debut novel – "Le dernier Syrien" – Syrian journalist and author Omar Youssef Souleimane looks back on the protest movement of 2011, a time when many in Syria hoped for societal change and democratic structures. Volker Kaminski read the German-language version of the book for Qantara.de
-
Climate change in MENA
Is the Middle East prepared for extreme heatwaves?
Experts say that as intense heat becomes more frequent, the Middle East will see a rise in heat-related deaths. Despite gaps in public health planning, this region could teach the world a lot about extreme heat. By Cathrin Schaer