Putin and Erdogan Reach Accord to Halt Fighting in Syria (New York Times)
“After six hours of talks at the Kremlin, the presidents of Russia and Turkey on Thursday announced what they said was a deal to halt fighting in the Syrian region of Idlib, calming a volatile conflict that had pushed the two countries to the brink of open war.”
Europe can't wish away Syrian refugees (The Washington Post)
“We are watching the same nightmare all over again. In no man’s land along a frontier of the European Union, security forces tear-gas and violently disperse stranded migrants. On a sunny day, the Greek coast guard confronts a rubber dinghy bearing asylum seekers crossing the Aegean. Rather than offer assistance, the maritime patrol seeks to intimidate the refugees, firing warning shots.”
'The mood is hostile': Syrians in Turkey still caught in Idlib crossfire (The Guardian)
“The young men carrying sticks and knives arrived around sunset on Friday last week, as the Syrian-owned restaurants of Gaziantep’s busy Inönü Street were coming to life.
Omar Jaber rushed to pull down the shutters of his small grocery shop as the gang drew closer, smashing up windows and parked cars.
The night before, Turkish soldiers had been hit by an airstrike in the Syrian province of Idlib, an incident which left at least 33 troops dead in the biggest loss of life for the Turkish military in modern history. Jaber knew the Turkish men wanted revenge.”
Syria rebels transported to Idlib after heavy fighting in Daraa ends (Middle East Eye)
“Rebel fighters from Daraa have arrived in northwest Syria as part of a deal with the Syrian government following the heaviest clashes the southwestern province has witnessed in 19 months.”
“People can’t even afford to buy bulgur”: Discontent is on the rise as Syria’s economic crisis worsens (Middle East Institute)
"The latest economic crisis in Syria is hitting the population hard. Syrians have been beset by currency depreciation, soaring prices for basic goods, and energy shortages that have left people to freeze in the harsh winter, leading to growing and increasingly vocal discontent. People are struggling to make ends meet, as has been made clear by interviews conducted over the phone and via messaging apps with a diverse group of civilians and combatants in different areas under Assad regime control — Syrians like Malak, a state employee; Camilla, a Christian student; Oubab, an Alawi supporter of the regime; and others. Many have resorted to working second jobs (some of them illicit), reducing consumption to the bare minimum, even for necessities like food, heating, and healthcare. Multiple interviewees described seeing more child laborers, beggars, prostitutes, and people scavenging through dumpsters looking for food than ever before.”
