Syrian Civil War Archives

Syria’s Assad says Pope Francis has ‘incomplete’ picture of the war

Dec 10, 2019

In a new interview, Syrian President Bashar al Assad responded publicly to a letter he received from Pope Francis over the summer voicing concern about civilian casualties in the country’s ongoing civil war, saying the pope has an incomplete picture of the conflict influenced by the west.

By Crux Staff

English bishops welcome return to UK of Islamic State orphans

Nov 23, 2019

The Catholicsbishops of England and Wales have welcomed the repatriation of British children orphaned in in Syria, after their parents had sought to support the Islamic State Group.

By Charles Collins

Advocate: Turkish forces doing ‘soft’ ethnic cleansing in northeast Syria

Oct 28, 2019

Despite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly assuring U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that his forces would not persecute religious minorities in northeastern Syria, people on the ground say minorities are being targeted.

By Dale Gavlak

Church in Syria and Iraq could ‘vanish’ if Islamic State regroups, new report claims

Oct 23, 2019

A new report says Christians are faring better in conflict-ravaged regions in the Middle East, but the precarious situation means the Church could vanish in places like Syria and Iraq if Islamist groups mounted another campaign in the region.

By Charles Collins

They come at night: Syrians flee to Iraq as cease-fire set to expire

Oct 22, 2019

In mid-October, Turkey agreed to pause its fighting for 120 hours, expiring Oct. 22, for Syrian Kurdish and Syriac Christian forces to withdraw from a zone Turkey wants to control. However, with fighting still was occurring in several areas, and the uncertainty of what would happen, Syrian families were considering their options for survival.

By Dale Gavlak

World faces difficult task in seeking lasting peace in Syrian conflict

Oct 20, 2019

Turkey’s long-threatened incursion into northeast Syria after the sudden pullout of U.S. military forces from the country in early October raises serious moral questions on the responsibility to protect civilians caught in the middle of a new conflict.

By Dennis Sadowski