The Aleppo Project
Aleppian Ahmad al-Sawas, Syria’s national gymnastics champion when fighting broke out, did not compete at the Rio Olympics. Read his story here.
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THE ALEPPO WEEKLY – JULY 13 – 28
by The Aleppo Project on July 28, 2016ALEPPO UNDER SIEGE
Following months long battles over al-Mallah Farms in northwestern Aleppo, regime forces have descended onto the Castello Road and cut off the only supply route for eastern Aleppo. Now an estimated 300,000 Aleppians join another 1 million Syrians living under complete siege. Meanwhile the bombing that never stopped for a few years intensified.
“Al-Assad forces and Russian airplanes are trying to control this road to besiege Aleppo … Those civilians are in danger of a lack of food, medicine and everything. And all the world is silent towards these things. These crimes.” Make-shift Aleppo University lecturer AbdulKafi Alhamdo spoke to ITV about the siege.
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Aleppo Under Siege
by The Aleppo Project on July 19, 2016We now know the pattern of besiegement in Syria and so we know what is to come in Aleppo. Government forces surround an area of a city and cut off all food and supplies. The population weakens and thins, the elderly dying first and then next the children, often from water-borne diseases. The United Nations stands by, failing again in its humanitarian obligations through its obsequiousness to a government whose crimes long ago stripped it of any legitimacy. The West and Russia can drop bombs but not food. Support cannot go to those who might be able to break the siege because of their ideology; instead it just sloshes into a corrupt morass outside the country. Statements are issued and ignored. 2139. 2165. 2191. 2254. 2258. These are the numbers of the United Nations Security Council resolutions that are brushed off by Assad.
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The Aleppo Weekly – July 6-12
by The Aleppo Project on July 13, 2016Aleppo archaeologist Rami Alafandi and Asiah Abdul Rahim published The Lost Treasure of the Polychrome Wooden (‘ajami) Interior of Ghazalyeh House, Aleppo, Syria.
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The Aleppo Weekly- June 28-July 5
by The Aleppo Project on July 7, 2016“Big businesses are closing and the problems we are facing only young people can solve…The need for startups and entrepreneurship culture is really essential for Syria.” Leen Darwish. Read about her coding app Remmaz here.
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Dar Janbolad – Aleppo’s Finest Palace
by Tiffany Ftaimi on July 6, 2016
When I lived in Syria, I hadn’t even heard about the Janbolad (Junblatt) Palace until 2011, my third year as an archaeology student. I was very surprised that a palace like this existed in my city. I did not expect its beauty, because just a few people even knew the palace’s name and location.
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Aleppo Weekly- June 22- 27
by The Aleppo Project on June 28, 2016A market in the Shaar district shortly before iftar. Click here to watch the video.
Voices from the City
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Impact of the Civil War on Aleppo’s Job Market
by Karam Shaar on June 23, 2016Studies of the Syrian civil war have largely focused on topics such as refugees and casualties and have left the crucial topic of employment greatly under-researched. Understanding changes in the composition of the job market will greatly enhance reconstruction efforts in post-war Aleppo as it allows a better understanding of the availability and quality of the labour force.
In late 2014 and early 2015, The Aleppo Project surveyed 1001 Aleppians about many issues.
This paper focuses on the two questionnaire items related to current professions of the respondents and their previous professions. The major findings of this paper include:
- The composition of the job market has pointedly changed due to the conflict
- Unemployment more than doubled due to the conflict. This applies to Aleppians within the city and abroad
- Differences in the rate of unemployment among Aleppians are largely explained by gender, age, education, and the neighbourhood from which the respondents come.
I believe that policymakers in post-war Aleppo will be faced with very high unemployment rates as the returnees with the fewest economic opportunities abroad come to Aleppo first to seek jobs. Ignoring the unemployed might ignite new unrest and could make the process of reintegration and reconciliation harder.
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Aleppo Weekly- June 13-21
by The Aleppo Project on June 22, 2016Voices from Aleppo
Islam Mardini published a series of recent photographs shot from regime-controlled areas near the frontline.
read moreAleppo Conflict Timeline – May 2016
by The Aleppo Project on June 13, 2016
“The dilemma is that in theory Russia and the United States agree that al-Qaeda-linked groups should be excluded from any peace talks. Since 2013, for example, the United States has not been very keen to support Ahrar ash-Sham due to its radical ideology. In practice, however, Ahrar ash-Sham is the largest armed group in Syria and its exclusion would end the peace process. Separating Ahrar ash-Sham or other groups from JN would weaken the opposition because JN is a key fighting forces. It might also create infighting between JN and other groups which would ultimately serve the government’s interests. Russia is aware of these complications and has used this pretext to weaken opposition groups in favor of the government. An agreement between the United States and Russia about how to resolve this dilemma is fundamental to the survival of the ceasefire and continuation of the Geneva process. As of May 2016, this had not yet happened.”
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