Syria was holding its breath. Islamist fighters had taken control – and no one knew if they intended to impose Taliban-style Islamic law. We went for a walk in the beautiful ancient center of Damascus. It was quiet. Merchants hadn’t opened their shops. Women had shut themselves away at home – waiting to see which way the wind was blowing. … Read More
Food on the Frontline: Porridge, Five Ways
Covering the final days of ISIS in Syria required venturing further and further away from civilization. As coalition aircraft and US-backed Syrian forces pushed the terrorists toward a small pocket of land jutting into the Euphrates River, they left behind giant swathes of destruction: cratered roads, airstruck homes, and rubble and debris as far as the eye could see. Which … Read More
Food on the Frontline: Syria and Iraq
Syrian food is fantastic, and as diverse as its neighbors in the Middle East: creamy hummus, fried kibbeh balls stuffed with spiced meat, rice dishes baked in phyllo dough, meatballs glazed in cherry sauce, flatbreads, baklavas, honeyed sweets, tea. Sadly, none of that was available on the frontline, where the Syrian Kurds faced off with ISIS. As bullets whizzed by just … Read More