Syrian Civil War
All topics-
Syria after AssadTo stay, to leave, to return
As many refugees return to Syria, queues are forming outside passport offices as people try to leave. Four personal stories reflect the hopes, fears and unresolved questions of a country in transition.
-
KidnappingsWhy women in Syria are disappearing
Blackmail, forced marriages and revenge: abductions of women and girls have become more frequent since the collapse of the Assad regime. Many women vanish without a trace, while others have returned with surprising testimonies.
-
Christians in SyriaFear lingers in an ancient community
In the predominantly Christian town of Maaloula, residents hold differing views on al-Sharaa and the safety of their community in the new Syria. For many, memories of the 2013 Nusra Front attack remain—and mistrust runs deep.
-
Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish"Like being caught between two magnets"
"Safe Corridor" is Jan Dost's first novel translated into English. The prolific Syrian writer explores the hardening impact of war on children and discusses the key differences between writing in Kurdish and Arabic.
-
Sectarian massacre on Syrian coast"I am the sole survivor of my family"
Survivors of the violence unleashed in Syrian coastal cities in early March tell Qantara their stories. Warning: the testimonies contain details of the indiscriminate killings of Alawite civilians and may be disturbing.
-
Syria after AssadA future built on citizenship and freedom
Syria's new leadership has not made a clear enough commitment to civil liberties. An inclusive understanding of citizenship, rooted in the history of Arab national movements, is needed to ensure that the goals of the 2011 uprising are not lost from view.
-
US Middle East policyIs there a Trump-Netanyahu consensus?
Trump's new administration could give Israel even greater freedom to pursue its territorial and political ambitions in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, while the future of the ceasefire in Gaza hangs precariously in the balance.
-
Bilingual children's booksKurdish as a living language
"When I was a child, I felt ashamed of my identity," says linguist and translator Marwan Sheikho. Determined to create a different reality for his own children, he's made his publishing debut with three bilingual Kurdish children's books.
-
Syrian-Kurdish politician Elham Ahmed"Syria should be governed federally like Iraq or the UAE"
Elham Ahmed, the foreign representative of northeast Syria, voices concern for minorities in Aleppo following the city’s recent capture. In an interview with Qantara, she outlines her vision of a decentralised Syria and comments on the German debate over the deportation of criminal refugees.
-
Syrians in LebanonNot safe to stay, not safe to go home
Desperate Syrians are weighing up whether to stay in an increasingly hostile Lebanon or risk a precarious existence in areas held by the Syrian opposition. The return journey is deadly and conditions in Syria are tough
-
Islamists in IdlibSyrian protesters rise up against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Opponents of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad seeking refuge in Idlib are now protesting against local Islamist hardliners Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The group is accused of becoming increasingly dictatorial
-
Najat Abed Alsamad's "Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst"Searching for life
Najat Abed Alsamad's award-winning novel, "La Ma'a Yarwiha", has been published in German translation as "Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst" (No water quenches her thirst). In it, she tells the story of a young Druze woman who roundly rejects the traditional rules imposed on her by her parents and relatives and begins a long fight for her freedom