Alison Meuse

Bars are thriving in the Old City of Damascus. In recent years, the neighborhood withstood attacks from rebel-held suburbs.

In Damascus, The Bars Are Packed And The Wine Is Flowing

Alison Meuse

Revelers drink, dance and listen to music in the Syrian capital's Old City bars. "No one talks about the war anymore," a bartender says. "We got used to it."

The ancient Hamidiyeh bazaar in Damascus is still flush with shoppers despite five years of war. The Syrian capital can feel far removed from the fighting.

In An Ancient Damascus Bazaar, A Refuge From War

Alison Meuse

There are no tourists, and Damascenes have thinner wallets these days. But commerce still flows in the ancient Hamidiyeh bazaar in the Syrian capital, where the war feels very distant.

In Recent Violence, Aleppo's Civilians Find Themselves In Regime Cross-Hairs

Alison Meuse

The Syrian regime and Russian forces have been bombarding the city of Aleppo, often hitting civilian targets in the process. An attack on a bread line is among the latest.

Saydnaya military prison is located about 19 miles north of Damascus, Syria. Amnesty International says the prison is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Defense and operated by the military police.

Amnesty International: Over 17,000 People Have Died In Syrian Detention Centers

Alison Meuse

A newly published report from the human rights group cites horrific conditions in detention facilities operated by Syria's state security branches.

Dura Europos, a Roman walled city in eastern Syria, dates back to 330 B.C. The main gate is shown here in a photo from 2010. It's one of the many important archaeological sites militants of the self-styled Islamic State have ransacked and damaged.

Via Satellite, Tracking The Plunder Of Middle East Cultural History

Deborah Amos

ISIS militants now control the long-running black market in stolen artifacts. Experts are tracking damage to heritage sites in Iraq and Syria by satellite and doing what little they can to stop it.