Omar Abdallah is a contributor for Syria Deeply https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/contributor/omar-abdallah/rss en Education Religious & Ethnic Groups Tue, 24 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/11/24/hassakeh-schools-switch-to-kurdish-language-education https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/11/24/hassakeh-schools-switch-to-kurdish-language-education Northeastern Syria’s autonomous Kurdish leadership has informed schools in the area they must teach core subjects in Kurdish. But while many of the area’s residents are proud to embrace their ethnic heritage, some worry about whether the change is sustainable in such a chaotic political environment. Civil Society Fri, 02 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/10/02/under-russian-bombs-syrians-speak-out https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/10/02/under-russian-bombs-syrians-speak-out As Russian fighter jets carried out their second straight day of air raids, Syria Deeply spoke to people on the ground about their reactions to Moscow’s military intervention. Religious & Ethnic Groups Wed, 16 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/09/16/will-syrias-druze-join-uprising-after-assassination-of-influential-sheikh https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/09/16/will-syrias-druze-join-uprising-after-assassination-of-influential-sheikh Syria Deeply spoke to Druze in Sweida about the struggle to remain neutral following the death of one of their religious leaders. Still reeling from an attack by Jabhat al-Nusra earlier this summer, many are hesitant to join the uprising. Human Rights Mon, 07 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/09/07/endless-agony-syrias-disappeared-people https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/09/07/endless-agony-syrias-disappeared-people Syria Deeply met with the families of missing Syrians whose fates remain unknown. While at least 240,000 people have been killed during the civil war, tens of thousands of others have simply been “disappeared”. Human Rights Religious & Ethnic Groups Fri, 21 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/21/syrias-druze-not-part-of-this-war https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/21/syrias-druze-not-part-of-this-war Syria Deeply had the rare opportunity to speak to Druze – who find it increasingly difficult to maintain neutrality in the ongoing civil war – in the city of Sweida. Despite disputes within the community about whether to take a position, Syrian Druze are united in their concern about their future in the country. Government & Pro-Government Forces Thu, 13 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/13/assad-support-not-enough-to-keep-alawites-in-syria https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/13/assad-support-not-enough-to-keep-alawites-in-syria Syria Deeply had the rare opportunity to speak to Alawite supporters of Assad who have fled the country nonetheless. Civil Society Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs Tue, 11 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/11/syrians-split-over-u-s-turkey-buffer-zone https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/11/syrians-split-over-u-s-turkey-buffer-zone While many Syrians are calling for protection in northern Aleppo, others worry that foreign intervention will only result in more bloodshed. Human Rights Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Thu, 06 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/06/the-killing-factory-aleppos-military-academy-for-kids https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/08/06/the-killing-factory-aleppos-military-academy-for-kids Syria Deeply spoke to the parents of children being trained to be ‘professional killers’. Displacement Human Rights Religious & Ethnic Groups Mon, 27 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/27/palestinians-in-yarmouk-death-is-coming-and-we-cannot-stop-it https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/27/palestinians-in-yarmouk-death-is-coming-and-we-cannot-stop-it Syria Deeply had a rare opportunity to hear from Palestinians enduring violence and starvation in the Yarmouk refugee camp. Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Thu, 23 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/23/syrian-opposition-members-overtures-to-israel-remain-unpopular https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/23/syrian-opposition-members-overtures-to-israel-remain-unpopular Although some members of the Syrian opposition have called for Israeli support to topple Assad, many Syrians view these proposals as controversial. Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces War Economy Mon, 20 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/20/strapped-for-cash-syrian-local-councils-struggle-to-survive https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/20/strapped-for-cash-syrian-local-councils-struggle-to-survive Syria Deeply spoke to local councils struggling to provide services to Syrians after the Assad regime pulls out. Arts & Culture Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/08/syrians-worry-palmyras-history-will-be-erased-%e2%80%a8%e2%80%a8 https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/07/08/syrians-worry-palmyras-history-will-be-erased-%e2%80%a8%e2%80%a8 Syria Deeply spoke to locals in Palmyra about what it means to them as ISIS tightens its grip on the historic city. Displacement Mon, 29 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/06/29/syrian-refugees-worry-for-future-following-turkish-elections https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/06/29/syrian-refugees-worry-for-future-following-turkish-elections Syria Deeply spoke with Syrian refugees in Turkey about their concerns following that country’s recent parliamentary elections. Displacement Fri, 19 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/06/19/syrians-on-the-turkish-borders-fleeing-battles-between-kurdish-forces-and-isis https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/06/19/syrians-on-the-turkish-borders-fleeing-battles-between-kurdish-forces-and-isis “Many Syrians have been stuck at the borders for almost two weeks now and are suffering due to the scarcity of food and water.”. ISIS Religious & Ethnic Groups Thu, 18 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/06/18/syrian-women-shed-their-burqas-as-they-flee-isis-held-areas https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2015/06/18/syrian-women-shed-their-burqas-as-they-flee-isis-held-areas Syria Deeply talked to two women who fled ISIS-controlled areas of Syria to find out what wearing a burqa meant to them – and why they are happy to leave it behind. Arts & Culture Human Rights Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Tue, 21 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/10/21/rebel-love-syrian-fighters-talk-about-intimate-life-in-war https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/10/21/rebel-love-syrian-fighters-talk-about-intimate-life-in-war ‘I realize that we can’t get married. You’re Sunni and I’m Alawite. You’re with the opposition and I’m with the regime, but I promise you that I will never give you up, no matter what.’. ISIS Fri, 10 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/10/10/why-some-syrians-are-against-strikes-on-isis https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/10/10/why-some-syrians-are-against-strikes-on-isis ‘There is no use fighting ISIS. They have become a reality. If you cut off Assad’s head, then ISIS will wither and die on its own’. Civil Society ISIS Tue, 02 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/09/02/in-raqqas-training-camps-isis-teaches-children-how-to-behead https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/09/02/in-raqqas-training-camps-isis-teaches-children-how-to-behead Boys say their instructors show them how to decapitate blond, blue-eyed dolls with kitchen knives. Arts & Culture Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces Wed, 23 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000 Omar Abdallah https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/07/23/in-idlib-a-thriving-marijuana-industry-comes-under-assault https://www.newsdeeply.com/syria/articles/2014/07/23/in-idlib-a-thriving-marijuana-industry-comes-under-assault Four years into Syria’s conflict, an unlikely crop – cannabis – has become a key source of financing for a number of groups in the opposition-held north.