كل ما تود معرفته عن Damascus

Welcome to Bab Al Hara, an ancient Damascus neighbourhood unscathed by time and war

Al Majalla explores how two iconic historical neighbourhoods, grouped together as one entity known as Bab Al Hara, have kept their historical charm despite the passing of time and the horrors of war

Hasnaa Aadra 18 September 2023

Sami Moubayed Archive

Abdul Rahman al-Yusuf: The Syrian pasha who was killed three times

The president of the Shura Council during Ottoman rule was assassinated and purposely left out of Syrian history. The burning down of his family mansion this week was the final nail in his coffin.

Sami Moubayed 20 July 2023

Supplied

The vagabonds of Damascus past

In light of the spike in mental illness cases in Syria, Al Majalla sheds light on several famous vagabonds in Damascus from the 1950s to the 1990s

Sami Moubayed 05 July 2023

As the prestigious university turns 100 this year, Al Majalla looks back at its evolution and most significant influences.

Eduardo Ramon

The fascinating history of Damascus University

As the prestigious university turns 100 today, Al Majalla looks back at its evolution and most significant influences

Sami Moubayed 13 June 2023

Eiko Ojala

Plagued by war, queues and sorrow, Syrians await their inevitable demise

Syrian novelist Khaled Khalifa shares his firsthand account from the heart of the country's capital, describing the endless sorrow of the Syrian people

Khaled Khalifa 26 April 2023

A worker walks past Syrian national flags at a solar farm in Hama, Syria November 28, 2022. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi

Starved of Electricity, Some Syrians Turn To Solar Power

Facing crippling electricity cuts, Syrian dentist Ibrahim al-Akzam has turned to solar power to keep his Damascus clinic going, a reflection of the deep energy crisis in his country after 11 years of…

15 December 2022

Ahlam Mohsin Warda, a single mother bringing up three children, helps her son with his studies at their home in Damascus, Syria November 30, 2022. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar

Syrians Brace for Long, Cold Winter as Fuel Crisis Bites

Mohammed Abu Ramadan can't afford to keep his children warm this winter so he and his sister's family in Damascus take it in turn to look after them - heating their homes only for the weeks that the…

08 December 2022

A number of Syrians gather in front of a Frankfurt Court where the trial of Syrian doctor Alaa M. over torture charges is being held. (Supplied)

Syrian Doctor’s Germany Trial, A Message to Intl Community

*Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence and torture. German authorities are prosecuting a Syrian doctor accused of committing crimes against humanity during his…

Jiwan Soz 04 February 2022

A Syrian policeman patrols the ancient oasis city of Palmyra in March. Many Syrian antiquities have been looted and smuggled out of the country during the past three years of civil war/ Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images

Antiquities Smuggling: New Source of Funding for Syrian Militias

Qamishli- Iran’s military influence in Syria has moved through different forms and levels since the beginning of Tehran’s intervention in the Syrian crisis years ago to support Syrian President…

Jiwan Soz 14 January 2022

A handout photo made available by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) shows Syrian President Bashar Assad (C-R) receiving a Russian delegation headed by Alexander Lavrentiev (C-L), the special envoy of President Vladimir Putin, in Damascus, Syria, 17 November 2021. EPA/SANA HANDOUT

Does It Make Sense To Turn A New Page With A Murderer?

A year ago the U.S. Democratic President Joe Biden was elected to succeed the Republican President Donald Trump, but until this moment his policy on Syria, if any, has not been announced. We have…

Alia Mansour 19 November 2021

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Trump, Sharaa, and the future of Syria

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There was visible warmth when the US and Syrian presidents met in the Oval Office last month, with some even speculating a Trump visit to Damascus. But there is much to do before that happens.

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The GCC moves from ‘safe neutrality’ to ‘indivisible security’

05 December 2025

Following the unprecedented attacks on Qatar, Gulf leaders have pledged to forge a unified defence front, marking a historic shift from cautious neutrality to collective security

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The evolution of Latin America’s drug cartels

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What began as a locally rooted trade in coca leaves and opium evolved into a transnational system of cartels that challenged governments, corrupted institutions, and destabilised countries

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Why the US is asking Lebanon for its bomb back

05 December 2025

When Israel killed a Hezbollah military chief in late November, one GBU-39 bomb failed to detonate, leaving Washington worried that its adversaries could reverse engineer it

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Culture & Social Affairs

Spanish poet Miriam Reyes on escaping the prison of the page

03 December 2025

With her collection 'Con' having won Spain's 2025 National Poetry Prize, the Galician writer spoke to Al Majalla about the process of creation as she works on her first novel.

Mohammed Al-Bittari

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LATEST ISSUE

Damascus

Welcome to Bab Al Hara, an ancient Damascus neighbourhood unscathed by time and war

Abdul Rahman al-Yusuf: The Syrian pasha who was killed three times

The vagabonds of Damascus past

The fascinating history of Damascus University

Plagued by war, queues and sorrow, Syrians await their inevitable demise

Starved of Electricity, Some Syrians Turn To Solar Power

Syrians Brace for Long, Cold Winter as Fuel Crisis Bites

Syrian Doctor’s Germany Trial, A Message to Intl Community

Antiquities Smuggling: New Source of Funding for Syrian Militias

Does It Make Sense To Turn A New Page With A Murderer?

Trump, Sharaa, and the future of Syria

The GCC moves from ‘safe neutrality’ to ‘indivisible security’

The evolution of Latin America’s drug cartels

Why the US is asking Lebanon for its bomb back

Spanish poet Miriam Reyes on escaping the prison of the page

OPINIONS

What Saudi writer Ahmad Abu Dahman narrated in ‘The Belt’

Mo Salah: Egyptian football superstar considers his future

A state in crisis: Lebanon’s struggle to restore financial stability

Iran’s political economy is causing misery. Something has to give

Damascus

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