Syria after Assad
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Leftist politics in Syria"I don't care whether Marx or Muhammad takes the credit"
Since Assad's fall in December 2024, Syrians have witnessed both displays of unity and renewed sectarian violence. A national identity that transcends sect and ideology is the key to a stable future, says Syrian leftist Sami Hadaya.
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Filmmaker Monika Borgmann"Syria needs a culture of justice"
Monika Borgmann has spent decades documenting Lebanese and Syrian prison systems. Her 2016 film "Tadmor" found new resonance after Assad's fall. She discusses Syria's future and her fight for justice after the murder of her husband, activist Lokman Slim.
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Syria's missing detainees"We did not expect so few had survived"
The search for the missing is seen by many Syrians as crucial to rebuilding the nation. Mazin al-Balkhi of the International Commission on Missing Persons warns that the scale and arbitrary nature of the killings under Assad pose major challenges.
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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.
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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.
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Syria's economic recoveryHTS must reject Assad-era neoliberalism
Syrians are facing immense economic challenges—an unstable currency, shortages and a soaring cost of living—while the transitional government doubles down on Assad's neoliberal policies. True recovery demands a new approach.
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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.
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Women's rights in SyriaToo early for confidence
At the end of February, the highly anticipated National Dialogue Conference took place in Damascus. Did the meeting meet expectations? Karim El-Gawhary talked to women's rights activists on the ground before and after the event.
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Forensic expert in Syria"Opening the graves is not a priority"
In Syria, families of those who disappeared under Assad are desperate for answers. But before bodies can be identified, countless files, photos and videos must be gathered. "There is a bureaucracy of the dead," says forensic scientist Luis Fondebrider.
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Syrian architects' group Syrbanism"For a just reconstruction, the people must have a voice"
Since 2017, Syrbanism has been connecting architects and urbanists across the Syrian diaspora. In the wake of Assad's fall, founders Edwar Hanna and Nour Harastani travelled to Damascus to work on their vision of a democratic reconstruction.
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Turkey and post-Assad SyriaBound together by fate, history and migration
Turkey’s close ties to the new Syrian regime have reignited fierce debates at home. In Syria, Turkey sees a reflection of its own deep divisions—Islamist vs. secular, Alawite vs. Sunni, Turkish vs. Kurdish.
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German elections 2025Debates on the Middle East, migration and antisemitism
Germany heads to the polls on 23 February. Where do the main parties stand on migration, Israel and Gaza, antisemitism and the future of Syria?