Syria
For this photographer, the fall of Assad means a rediscovery of his home country
Alaa Hassan was 25 years old when the uprisings against Bashar al-Assad began in Syria. He was part of the movement that grew quickly against the former president, and turned into a civil war. In 2013, facing mandatory military conscription and the death of some of his closest friends at the hands of security forces, Hassan decided to leave the country. It wasn’t until last December, when the Assad government fell, that he was able to return. Now, he has a new mission: to document both the loss and the rebirth of his country.
Christians in historic town in Syria reflect on new moment in the country
Last December, after more than a decade of fighting, forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad ousted him from power. Some people in Maaloula, long a center for Christianity in Syria, shared their concerns and hopes for the future under the new government, which has a conservative, Islamist past.
Trump vows to lift US sanctions on Syria, expressing confidence in the country’s new leader
President Trump’s announcement that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted was met with elation by Syrians. Syria has a long way to go to recover from years of civil war and brutal dictatorship. But experts say the country needs to see sanctions lifted just to have a chance at beginning the long process of rebuilding.
US and Syrian officials visit each other’s countries as Damascus finds footing on global stage
The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) about his recent trip to Syria, the first visit by US lawmakers since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December.