Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Media ID: 55326190
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A picture taken on October 25, 2013 shows members of jihadist group Al-Nusra Front taking part in a parade calling for the establishment of an Islamic state in Syria, at the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood of Aleppo. (AFP/Karam Al-Masri)

The Revolution Betrayed

by Hannah Lucinda Smith | Dec 31, 2013 | Features

Antakya, Asharq Al-Awsat—One of the last things that Mahmoud did in Syria was to fit a new front door. It was another example of everything that was going wrong in Aleppo. A month before, he had upgraded his pistol to a submachine gun. Now he was fixing big metal...

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Rebels from Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra Front waving their brigade flag on the top of a captured Syrian air force helicopter in Idlib province, northern Syria (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN, File)

Syria: Rebel group demands hostage swap for kidnapped nuns

by Wa'il Isam | Dec 6, 2013 | Middle East

Antakya, Asharq Al-Awsat—A Syrian rebel group calling itself the Ahrar Al-Qalamoun Brigade has claimed to be behind the abduction of 12 Greek Orthodox nuns earlier this week. The Islamist group announced that it is prepared to release the nuns in return for the...

Media ID: 55294762
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A picture of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad riddled with holes is seen on the facade of the police academy in Aleppo, after it was captured by Free Syrian Army fighters, March 4, 2013. (Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano)

Opinion: Assad’s Eureka Moment

by Mshari Al-Zaydi | Apr 20, 2013 | Opinion

In Bashar Al-Jaafari’s latest speech, Assad’s ambassador to the UN focused on the threat of extremism to Syria. He claimed that the Assad regime is a protector of tolerance and a bulwark against extremism. We are well aware of such false protestations, and I am...