Syria
A Hospital in the Crossfire
New Lines reports from Sweida National Hospital in southern Syria, which became a battleground in July, with doctors and nurses risking their lives, caught between warring Druze and Bedouin-aligned forces.
Sovereignty on the Line
The recent crisis in Sweida may have been sparked by hyperlocal conflicts between Druze and Bedouins, but through international pressure and disinformation it has become a potential turning point in Damascus’ halting efforts to exercise unified sovereignty.
Despite Calls for Calm, the Violence in Sweida Shows No Sign of Ending
Sweida, in southern Syria, a province once spared the worst of the country’s civil war, has become one of its most dangerous flash points. What was once an enclave of fragile calm is now a battlefield where sectarian fears, local militias, insurgent networks and outside powers collide.
Escalating Violence Engulfs Syria’s Druze Mountain
For months, Sweida in southern Syria has been a tinderbox. What began as violence between the Druze and Bedouin communities has escalated into a major security operation by Damascus and Israeli airstrikes on the capital.
The Twisting Path to Syrian Reunification
Despite a landmark agreement between Syria’s new government and Kurdish-led factions, the country remains fractured and vulnerable to jihadist resurgence. Negotiations over security coordination and political integration have stalled amid deep mistrust, while Islamic State group attacks and U.S. pressure increase.
Forest Fires and Accusations in the New Syria
Massive wildfires have engulfed the Syrian coast, burning through forests in Latakia, Hama and Idlib and threatening to worsen the country’s food crisis. In their wake have come competing accusations of blame.
The Deadly Remnants of Syria’s War
Seven months after the fall of the Assad regime, the detritus of battle still weighs on Syria’s land. Unexploded ordnance litters the countryside, maiming children and threatening farmers, returning refugees and aid workers, while also delaying the country’s recovery.