Dear Deeply Readers,

Welcome to the archives of Syria Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on May 15, 2018, and transitioned some of our coverage to Peacebuilding Deeply, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on the Syrian conflict. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors contributors.

We continue to produce events and special projects while we explore where the on-site journalism goes next. If you’d like to reach us with feedback or ideas for collaboration you can do so at [email protected].

BROWSE THE SYRIA DEEPLY ARCHIVES

Must-Read Coverage on Syria From 2017

We’ve compiled our best coverage of the biggest issues in Syria this year – from safe zones and increasing foreign involvement to new avenues for pursuing justice, and the impact of Syria’s war economy.

Written by Alessandria Masi Published on Read time Approx. 3 minutes
Residents try to collect their belongings amid the debris of buildings following an airstrike on the Jarjanaz district of Idlib on December 26, 2017. Muaz Yemen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Safe Zones

For years, creating safe zones in Syria has been considered for a multitude of reasons – including improving humanitarian conditions, returning refugees, stopping the flow of civilians fleeing to neighboring countries and enabling foreign or local powers to exert control over an area. The Safe Zone platform provides a comprehensive overview of the various proposals over the last year, the key stakeholders and analysis on the real beneficiaries of these plans and whether or not they can be secure for civilians.

Syria’s Future Is Female

Complex problems and a lack of nuanced understanding have led to stereotypes and generalizations about Syrian women. And as a result women in Syria have largely been understood only in the context of the barriers they face or the violations carried out against them. Syria Deeply and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) explored issues facing Syrian women, such as access to education and healthcare; women’s role in politics, peacebuilding and preserving cultural heritage; and the impact of violence and violations against women.

Crimes and Justice

Despite the conventional wisdom that the Syrian conflict is winding down, human rights violations and war crimes have continued in several parts of the country. This year has seen a major push toward accountability and shedding light on the organizations exploring innovative avenues for pursuing justice.

Read More:

• How the Syrian War Changed How War Crimes Are Documented
• How Amnesty Uncovered ‘a Universe of Degradation’ at Saydnaya Prison
• Building the First Criminal Case Against Assad’s Regime
• Analysis: The Political Impasse Over Syria’s Disappeared

Eyes On Damascus

As the Syrian government and foreign powers look to wind down the war in Syria, we have closely monitored developments on the ground in the capital, covering a wide range of developments such as financial restrictions on civilians and the cost of grave sites in Damascus.

Read More:

• With No Room for the Dead, Graves Go up for Rent in Damascus
• Exchange Rates, Financial Restrictions and Subsidized Fuel
• Electricity, Pharmacists, Siege and Sports

War Economy

Despite the Syrian government’s recent push for reconstruction and economic renewal in the country, the war economy has continued to take a devastating toll on civilians – in government-held territory, besieged areas and abroad.

Read More:

• Elites, War Profiteers Take Aim at Syria’s Economic Future
• The Business of Smuggling Supplies in Besieged Eastern Ghouta
• The Maddening Maze of Getting a Syrian Passport Abroad

Foreign Involvement

The past year has seen an uptick in involvement from international parties – both those who have a stake in the conflict and are hoping for a piece of post-conflict Syria and newcomers capitalizing on the conflict for their own interests.

Read More:

• A War Within a War: Chechnya’s Expanding Role in Syria
• Israel’s Quiet Campaign to Gain a Foothold in Southern Syria

Returns

As the international community pushes for returns of refugees and IDPs, we have explored the deepening economic and social divisions challenging returns to Aleppo; the gap in public services; the absence of social and economic support systems; security risks facing those who return to Homs; and the reasons why some refugees are choosing to leave Europe.

Read More:

• Analysis: Politics of Class and Identity Dividing Aleppo – and Syria
• Back Home in Homs: Challenges Facing Returnees to Syria
• Escaping Europe: Why Some Syrian Refugees Have Chosen to Leave

The Battle Against ISIS

The so-called Islamic State lost a significant amount of territory in Syria this year, from the SDF’s victory in Raqqa, ISIS’ former de facto capital, in October to pro-government forces seizing Deir Ezzor in November. Dismantling the caliphate, however, has taken a devastating toll on civilians who have been forced to flee fighting.

Read More:

• ‘I Came for the Jihad’: Women Tell of Life in the Islamic State
• Analysis: Euphrates Fight May Beat ISIS Militarily, but Not Ideologically
• Inside Rukban Camp, One of Syria’s Most Desperate Settlements

Recommended Reads From Elsewhere

•  The Century Foundation: The Economics of War and Peace in Syria
•  Brookings: Rules for Reconstruction in Syria
•  The Associated Press: In Syria’s Devastated Twin Towns, Tears Mix with Rubble
•  The Financial Times: Syria: A Tale of Three Cities
•  The New York Times: Russia Deploys a Potent Weapon in Syria: The Profit Motive
•  Al Jazeera: Letters to Raqqa’s Missing
•  The Associated Press: They’re Going for Death: Syrian Tells of Defection From ISIS

Aleppo Arab?Israeli conflict Assad Damascus Deir Ezzor Homs Human rights violations during the Syrian Civil War International reactions to the Syrian Civil War Israel Middle East Military Politics of Syria Russia Syria Syrian Civil War Western Asia

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