Kelly McEvers

A Close-Up Of Syria's Alawites, Loyalists Of A Troubled Regime

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:20:00 +0000

The film on Syria's Alawite community isn't finished yet, but filmmaker Nidal Hassan's favorite scenes are beginning to take shape.

It opens with fireworks on New Year's Eve in Tartous, Syria. "May God preserve the president for us," one young man yells in a reference to Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

Situated on the Mediterranean coast, Tartous is a resort town, with a port and a Russian naval base. Roughly three-quarters of the people in Tartous are Alawites, like Assad and his late father, who have run the country for more than 40 years.

In Syria, Some Ruling Minority Alawites Take Risky Stand Against Regime

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:03:00 +0000

The Alawites of Syria were a poor, little-known Shiite minority until longtime dictator Hafez Assad, a member of the sect, rose to power in 1970. His son, President Bashar Assad, is now fighting to maintain that power in a country that has risen up against him. Now, even some Syrian Alawites say they are willing to denounce the regime, despite the risks.

A recent gathering in Cairo was much like other conferences hosted by the Syrian opposition — a flurry of activity in the hotel lobby, late-night conversations and lots of cigarettes.

But this one was different.

Revisiting Iraq: A Sister On The Edge

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 06:58:00 +0000

It's been 10 years since the U.S. invaded Iraq. This week we're taking a look back, revisiting voices you first heard on NPR in 2007. We brought you the story of two sisters who had lost their parents. The older sister wore conservative clothes and recited poetry. The younger sister, just 13 at the time, appeared on the verge of becoming a prostitute.

Like so many stories in Iraq, especially sensitive ones involving shame and sex, this story has to be peeled away in layers, like an onion.

It starts with the older sister, Shahad.

Face-To-Face With Death In Iraq

Kelly McEvers — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:07:00 +0000

On the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, NPR is catching up with some of the people we encountered during the war. In 2006, at the height of the violence, we brought you the story of a woman who performed the Muslim ritual of washing and preparing the dead for burial.

1 Decade Since The War, Where Iraq Stands Now

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Ten years after the U.S.-led war in Iraq, NPR is looking at where the country stands now. NPR's Kelly McEvers recently visited Baghdad and offered this take on how the Iraqi capital feels today.

I think the single word that would best describe Baghdad these days is traffic. It can take hours just to get from one place to another. And I guess that's both good and bad.

Good because it means people are out, going to work, leading normal lives. They feel safe enough to be in the streets, to be in their cars. On the weekends, the parks are full of families picnicking.

Letters To My Dead Father

Kelly McEvers — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:14:00 +0000

Ten years after the U.S. invaded Iraq, NPR is taking a look back, revisiting people and places first encountered during the war. In 2006, NPR aired a story about a 9-year-old girl who loved her father so much, she wrote him letters to take to work with him.

'Conscience' of Syrian Revolution Faces Challenge from Islamists

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:43:00 +0000
Kafr Nabl is surrounded by rocky hills covered with olive and fig trees. Located in northwest Syria near the Turkish border, it used to be a sleepy town of about 30,000 people. Then it rose up against the government in early 2011. More than a year later, the town was "liberated" by anti-government rebels who forced out soldiers and police who worked for the government.

Conflict Transforms Syrian English Teacher Into War Photographer

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:46:00 +0000
Syria's war has thrown ordinary citizens into situations they never could have imagined and changed them in ways they never would have dreamed. It's turned carpenters, engineers and doctors into armed rebels. And in Aleppo, it has turned a young female teacher into a war photographer.
We first met Nour Kelze back in October, on our first trip to Aleppo. We asked her to work with us as an interpreter.

Syrian Opposition Leader Holds Talks With Russia, Iran

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:19:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene.
Let's begin this morning with Syria. There has been a little bit of movement on the diplomatic front. Over the weekend, one of the main Syrian opposition leaders held informal talks with the government's main backers - Russia and Iran. These talks were held on the sidelines of a security conference in Germany.

As Syrian Rebels Reopen Bakeries, Bread Crisis Starts To Ease

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:09:00 +0000
In Syria, the staple of most meals is a thin, round, flat bread that we would probably call pita.
Back in November, as fierce fighting raged across Syria, people started to run out of this bread. Government forces were attacking bakeries in rebel-held areas and cutting off electricity so mills couldn't grind flour.

For Those Still In Syria, A Daily Struggle

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 07:04:00 +0000
The situation for Syrian refugees is getting dire. Much has been reported about the worsening conditions for hundreds of thousands of Syrians taking up shelter just outside the country's borders, but inside Syria, the numbers are even higher. The United Nations says some 2 million people have been displaced from their homes in Syria, and most of them end up squatting in mosques and schools.

In War-Torn Aleppo, Old Doors That Reflect A Grand Tradition

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:38:00 +0000
Aleppo's storied old city, which dates to the 12th century, has suffered much in the fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels over the past few months. But parts of the city remain intact, as I saw on a recent walk through the winding, stone alleys on the way to the front line.
Centuries ago, it took Muslims from this area months in a caravan to make the pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, which is now part of Saudi Arabia.
The trip was so difficult that pilgrims took burial clothes with them in case they didn't survive.

A Welcoming Way Station For Syrians Fleeing Home

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:20:00 +0000
It's called Beit Qamishlo, or the House of Qamishlo. It's named after a city in northeastern Syria, though the house isn't even in Syria — it's just across the border in southern Turkey.
The house is humble, made of concrete blocks, with tile floors. Arabic slogans are taped on the walls: "Beit Qamishlo is a house for everyone," "It's a window to Syria's future," "Under one roof we plant life together and freedom."
More than just ideas, Beit Qamishlo is also a hostel, a place for Syrians who've escaped their country to crash until they find more permanent digs.

As Syrian War Grinds On, A Rebel Keeps Reinventing Himself

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:03:00 +0000
Ibrahim Abazid had no idea he would be part of a nationwide revolt in Syria — or that his role would keep evolving.
It was March 2011. Some teenagers in his hometown, Dera'a, got arrested for spray painting anti-government slogans outside a school. Rumors began circulating that the teenagers were being tortured while in detention in the southern town.
In the broader region, Arab protesters had been filling the streets for months. Dictators in Tunisia and Egypt had already fallen.

Sources: U.S., Jordan Training Syrian Rebels On Anti-Aircraft Weapons

Kelly McEvers and Rima Marrouch — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:43:00 +0000
The U.S. has now formally recognized a new Syrian opposition group as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. But the U.S. has repeatedly declined to provide weapons for rebels fighting President Bashar Assad's army.
However, NPR has learned that there are movements behind the scenes. In Jordan, several Syrian sources said that Jordanian authorities, along with their U.S.

A Rebel Fighter Sees Islamic Law In Syria's Future

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:33:00 +0000
It's about 9 o'clock in the morning, and already it's been a long day for Abu Anas. He has lost two men to a sniper serving the Syrian regime. Four more have been injured.
But Abu Anas walks with a striking calm through the bombed-out, ruined streets of Aleppo, a city that has been at war for months. He wears a black headband bearing Islam's holy creed: "There is no God but God.

Syrian Rebels Claim They Shot Down Fighter Jet With A Missile

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 21:04:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whGg7IcgQn8

Iraqi Businesses Feel Pinch Of Iran's Economic Woes

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:25:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
And I'm Steve Inskeep.
We've heard about how U.S. and European sanctions on Iran have caused that country's currency to plummet and how Iran is now buying up gold and trying to dump its own currency outside its borders. Well, Iran is part of a regional economy and the falling currency is starting to hurt at least one of Iran's neighbors.

In Syria's Biggest City, A Deadly Stalemate

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:40:00 +0000
Before the Syrian uprising, Aleppo was many things: Syria's largest city, its economic hub and cultural capital, one of the oldest, continuously occupied cities in the world.
Now, Aleppo has a more ominous distinction: a city that's seen some of the worst destruction, not only in Syria, but of any battleground in many years.
It's been more than three months since rebels in Syria launched an offensive to take Aleppo.

Little Festivity As Syria's Holiday Cease-fire Fails

Kelly McEvers — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:09:00 +0000
Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. The day marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. It's the feast of the sacrifice, when any Muslim who is able should sacrifice an animal and donate the meat to the poor.
There is little to celebrate in Syria's largest city, Aleppo, however.

Life And Death And Puppets In Syria

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:02:00 +0000
"I'm not crazy," the figure says, standing alone in a dark room, as if trying to convince himself.
"I'm not crazy?" almost a question this time.
"I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy!" he yells, finally making up his mind.
And, of course, he sounds crazy.
Meet Beeshu, an avatar of the embattled president of Syria, Bashar Assad, rendered in papier-mache and mounted on someone's finger.

Tensions Run High In Beirut Over Slain Official

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:11:00 +0000
Transcript
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
On a Monday, it's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene. Good morning.
Moderator Bob Schieffer has released his list of topics for tonight's presidential debate on foreign policy. It's a busy agenda. Everything from China to Pakistan, which reflects a busy season of news from abroad. And we're discussing several of those topics throughout today's program. Some of the talk will turn to the Middle East, where there was more violence overnight.

In Syrian Conflict, Hezbollah Rears Its Head

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 06:53:00 +0000
We are standing on a roof, leaning back against the wall because of the snipers. We're right at the Syrian-Lebanese border, looking into the Syrian town of Jusiyah, standing with a rebel fighter who has his walkie-talkie going.
The rebel is part of a group fighting against the Syrian regime's army. The rebels have controlled a route into and out of Jusiyah for nearly a year.
It's a tiny village, but extremely important.

U.N. Envoy To Syria Heads To Damascus To Discuss Cease-Fire

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:49:00 +0000
The United Nations' special envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is on his way to Syria's capital, Damascus, where he will hold talks with Syrian leaders about a proposal to call a cease-fire between government troops and rebel fighters. Brahimi has said he hopes the cease-fire will start next week, for the Eid al Adha holiday.
The spokesman for the Syrian ministry of foreign affairs, Jihad Makdissi, said the Syrian government would be willing to consider a cease fire.

Video From Syria Alerts Activist To His Father's Death

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:38:00 +0000
The numbers coming out of Syria these days are staggering: hundreds of thousands of refugees, tens of thousands dead. The struggle, and the death, is being captured regularly on social media. The documentation not only serves as a bulletin for foreigners, but also as an alert for those with family members who become victims.
When Syrians first started protesting in March of last year, Fadi Zeidan was there. He and his friends thought the Syrian uprising would be fast, like the ones in Tunisia and Egypt.
Then Zeidan was detained and beaten three times between April and September 2011.

Turkey Pushes Syrians Into Limbo Across Border

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:20:00 +0000
Long before the Syrian uprising, Antakya, Turkey, was a storied place. Once known as Antioch, the city was home to Greeks, some of the earliest Christians, Jews and Armenians. It once was a major stop on the Silk Road.
Most recently, the Turkish city became a hub for the Syrian rebellion. For many months, Turkish authorities tolerated Antakya's status, and even encouraged it.

Syria Experiences More Bloody Weekend Fighting

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:20:00 +0000
Transcript
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
Day after day in Syria, people are being killed, but sometimes it takes a weekend like this past one to remind us just how horrifying the conflict is. Government troops were battling rebels were for control of Aleppo, Syria's largest such city. And as they fought, flames spred through a centuries-old market, burning huge sections to the ground.
In a moment, we'll hear a story about Syrian-American doctors working in rebel-held areas.

Syrian Rebels Secure Another Crossing With Turkey

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:49:00 +0000
Transcript
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene. Good morning.
Rebels in Syria are making slow but steady advances in the north of their country. Last week, they captured a third major border crossing between Syria and Turkey, and they claim to now control a similar border crossing with Iraq.

As Numbers Swell, Syrian Refugees Face New Woes

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:13:00 +0000
Syria's refugees keep growing dramatically in number, and no country in the region has taken in more of them than Jordan — a poor, desert nation that is now hosting some 200,000 Syrians.
The conditions for the refugees are perhaps harsher in Jordan than in any other country, with many people sheltered in tents on a hot, dusty plain just inside Jordan's northern border with Syria.
At the Zaatari camp, everything is covered with a layer of sand and dirt; rows and rows of tents, once white, are now a golden color.
Volunteers on a truck are distributing aid to families at the camp: boxes of

Syrian Activists Protest, But Not Over Anti-Islam Video

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:30:00 +0000
For the past year and a half, every Friday in Syria has been given a name. That's because every Friday, people protest against the government, and those protests get a title. This week's title? "Syrian sons and daughters of the Prophet Mohammed are being slaughtered." In other words: "To all you Muslims who are angry about the denigration of the Prophet Mohammed in some YouTube film? Don't forget about us."