Karen Leigh is Managing Editor of News Deeply https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/contributor/gayath-abd-alaziz-and-karen-leigh/rss en Government & Pro-Government Forces Fri, 23 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Gayath Abd Alaziz and Karen Leigh https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/05/23/government-cracks-down-as-young-men-duck-mandatory-army-service https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/05/23/government-cracks-down-as-young-men-duck-mandatory-army-service Across the country, an increasing number of would-be soldiers are ducking Syria’s 21-month mandate. Instead, they’re hiding out – or taking up arms for the opposition.