The empowered Syrian street that had once exposed the fragility of a regime long thought omnipotent has retreated to the rubble. Ghouta: thousands of civilians flee fresh regime bombardment Read moreThe state, too, is a shadow of what it was when popular uprising gave way to insurgency. Timeline The Syrian war Show Hide Unprecedented protests demand civil liberties and the release of political prisoners after four decades of repressive rule by the Assad family. Russia and Iran, as backers of the Syrian regime, and Turkey, a supporter of the rebels, organise talks in Kazakhstan, between representatives of both sides. Syria’s war without restraint has dashed any meaningful talk of reconciliation, for now.

Source: The Guardian March 15, 2018 19:00 UTC