Syria

Pentagon Says It's Staying In Syria, Even Though ISIS Appears Defeated

11:54am November 17, 2017

by Mark Katkov

The U.S. is keeping its troops in Syria and continues to press for a political settlement to that country's civil war. It's far from clear whether the U.S. has sufficient leverage to achieve that.

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The sheep brain sandwich at Syrjeia, a legendary sandwich shop in Aleppo. Served with tomatoes, Syrian pickles and lemon juice with garlic, it was the stuff of legend and longing for locals and visitors alike. But did it – and Syrjeia — survive the Sy

The Aleppo Sandwich: Searching For The Flavors Of A Home Lost To War

2:19pm November 10, 2017

by Dan Pashman

For decades, a legendary sandwich shop in the Syrian city was a pilgrimage site for locals and visitors. Could it have survived the civil war? It would mean some part of Aleppo is still there, too.

Syrian children who fled Raqqa, where the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces defeated the Islamic State group, are now living in a refugee camp. They hold pots as they line up for food.

What Will Winter Bring For Syria's Refugees?

4:19pm November 09, 2017

Winter — and the ongoing conflict — makes life even more miserable for the millions who've fled. One sign of hope: Interest from the public, says one aid official, is "remarkable."

United Nations special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura is seen on a video screen as he listens to a Security council meeting on Syria at U.N. headquarters in June about the possible use of sarin gas in an attack that killed more than 90 people.

World News

U.N. Watchdog: Syrian Government Responsible For April Sarin Gas Attack

5:57am October 27, 2017

by Scott Neuman

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in June that the agent used in the attack was sarin. On Thursday, the OPCW said it was sure that the Syrian regime carried it out.

Syrian Brig. Gen. Issam Zahreddine (right) speaks with a civilian in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor in September, during the offensive against ISIS militants.

World News

Anti-ISIS Syrian General Accused Of Killing U.S. Journalist Is Reported To Have Died

4:05pm October 19, 2017

by Ruth Sherlock

Issam Zahreddine reportedly died on the battlefield. The family of Marie Colvin, a celebrated U.S. war correspondent killed in Syria in 2012, has blamed him for her death.

A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces walks on a building near Raqqa's stadium Monday, as they cleared the last positions on the front line in the fight against ISIS.

World News

ISIS Makes Last Stand At A Stadium In Raqqa, Its Doomed 'Capital'

12:24pm October 17, 2017

by Bill Chappell

As of Tuesday, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces control "more than 90 percent" of Raqqa, says U.S. Army Col. Ryan Dillon.

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Displaced Syrians head to refugee camps on the outskirts of Raqqa on Sunday. Syrian fighters, backed by the U.S., have been driving out the Islamic State. However, many civilians are fleeing the fighting, and there's still no sign of a political settlemen

The U.S. Is Beating Back ISIS, So What Comes Next?

9:45am September 29, 2017

by Greg Myre

The U.S. military and its allies have largely defeated the Islamic State in both Iraq and Syria. Now comes the tricky part: finding political solutions in both of those troubled countries.

Aktham Abulhusn rides the subway on his way to Berlin Alexanderplatz. He came from Syria to Germany in early 2015 on a student visa and now lives there on a refugee visa. Now that his German language skills are improving, he is trying to find a girlfriend

World News

Navigating A New Culture, A Syrian Refugee In Germany Seeks A Dating Coach's Advice

10:25am September 26, 2017

by Gregory Warner

In the final episode of NPR's Rough Translation podcast, Aktham Abulhusn seeks help from a dating coach in Berlin to learn the unwritten rules of German culture. He hopes to find a girlfriend.

The caskets of slain mother and daughter Orouba and Halla Barakat are prepared for the funeral Saturday in Istanbul.

World News

Mother And Daughter Who Opposed Bashar Assad Regime Killed In Turkey

1:42pm September 23, 2017

by Ruth Sherlock

Police found the bodies of Orouba Barakat and her daughter, Halla, a U.S. citizen, in their Istanbul apartment. Their deaths have left family and the wider dispersed Syrian community in fear.

Smoke rises from buildings in the area of Bughayliyah, on the northern outskirts of Deir ez-Zor on Sept. 13, as Syrian forces advance during their ongoing battle against ISIS.

World News

Why The Race To Oust ISIS From Deir Ez-Zor In Syria May Present New Dangers

1:54pm September 20, 2017

by Ruth Sherlock

Syrian troops and allied militias are locked in a race against U.S.-backed rebels for control of an oil-rich province that will give whoever governs it greater influence in the country's civil war.