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.

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 22:21:00 +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.

A Chat With A Radical Fighter In Syria

Kelly McEvers — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:23:00 +0000
The Islamist rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra has been secretive, keeping to itself and refusing to meet Western journalists. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the Obama administration and was thought to be made up mostly of foreign fighters, working alongside Syrian rebels.
But lately, members are starting to open up as more Syrians join the group and they make more gains on the ground in the fight against the Syrian government.
In the northwest Syrian town of Kafr Nabel we met a 21-year-old fighter from the group.

Displaced Syrians Find Shelter In Ancient 'Dead Cities'

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:39:00 +0000
Parts of the northern Syrian province of Idlib are a U.N. World Heritage site, known for its ancient archaeological wonders. Walking along muddy, rocky ground covered in new grass and wild daffodils, we start to see remnants of Roman structures — the columns and doorways of dwellings, temples and churches that date back to the 1st century.
They're known as the Dead Cities, and they trace the transition from ancient pagan Rome to Christian Byzantium.

'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 10:38:00 +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 23:29:00 +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 22:13:00 +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 18:14:00 +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
Najaf in southern Iraq is beginning to feel the pain of neighboring Iran's economic woes. Business around Shiite sites, which usually draw scores of Iranians for the holy days of Ashura, is way down.

Conflicts Brew Between Kurds, Arabs In Iraq

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:48:00 +0000
Arab-Kurd skirmishes in southern Iraq late last week injured dozens of people and killed at least one. Now troops from both sides are escalating and tensions are high again. This all comes as Kurdistan president Massoud Barzani battles Iraqi Central government Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Analysts say Barzani has been emboldened by independent oil contracts, the increasing support of Turkey, and ongoing events in Syria.

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 18:05:00 +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 09:53:00 +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 21:56:00 +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
In the country's largest city Aleppo, large swaths of a historic market were burned to the ground as government troops battled rebels for control of the city. And a bomb struck a largely Kurdish city in the country's northeast.

Syrian Rebels Secure Another Crossing With Turkey

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:49:00 +0000
Rebels trying to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad are making slow but steady gains in securing an incrementally larger safe zone in the north. They've captured a third major border crossing between Syria and Turkey. The rebels are trying to restore services to a recently liberated town.