Kelly McEvers

Sectarian Violence Rises Sharply In Iraq

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:04:00 +0000

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. It's easy for us to overlook, given the violence elsewhere in the Middle East, but violence in Iraq has risen sharply. Since the start of April, more than 2,000 people have been killed in car bombings and other attacks. Iraq has not seen that level of killing since the worst of the sectarian war back in 2006 and 2007.

Rebels Lose Key Town To Syrian Forces

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 21:16:00 +0000

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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

In Syria, the battle for Qusair is over. The strategically important town has fallen back under government control. That was confirmed early today by Syrian state media and rebel sources.

For three weeks, Qusair has been the scene of fierce fighting, including not only Syrians, but also the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.

Sons, Who Belonged To Hezbollah Died 'Heroically' In Syria

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:54:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The U.N. says hundreds of wounded, along with thousands more civilians, are trapped inside the embattled Syrian town of Qusair. The Syrian army, along with fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, have the town surrounded. Up until recently Hezbollah's involvement in the fight was kept secret. But now, as NPR's Kelly McEvers reports, the group's supporters are readying for what could be a bigger, more regional fight.

KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: When a Hezbollah fighter dies in combat, it's different than when a U.S. soldier dies.

Hezbollah Sends Fighters To Qusayr From Lebanon

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 31 May 2013 09:16:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

NPR's Kelly McEvers has also been reporting on the fight, and the involvement of Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. She sends this report.

KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: So, we're just on the other side of the border from where Steve just was. We're in Lebanon. We're standing on top of an unfinished house. It's basically bare concrete with rebar sticking up. And I can see into Qusayr. Just beyond a berm that forms the border between Lebanon and Syria is the city of Qusayr.

We're in a place called Hermel, in Lebanon. It's called the city of martyrs.

Syrian Conflict Continues Spread Into Neighboring Lebanon

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 27 May 2013 20:28:00 +0000

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ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Robert Siegel.

The Syrian town of Quseir sits just miles from the border with Lebanon and the fierce fighting there is evidence of how the war is reaching beyond Syria's borders. Lebanese militants from Hezbollah are now openly fighting alongside Syrian soldiers in Quseir. And this weekend, rockets were fired on Hezbollah areas inside Lebanon's capital Beirut. Here's NPR's Kelly McEvers.

KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: The latest battle for Quseir began about a week ago.

Syrian Rebels Want Enough Help To Turn The Tide

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:47:00 +0000

Audie Cornish talks to Kelly McEvers about her reporting out of Syria and what people there are saying about U.S. intervention.

A Close-Up Of Syria's Alawites, Loyalists Of A Troubled Regime

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:03:00 +0000

The film on Syria's Alawite community isn't finished yet, but filmmaker Nidal Hassan's favorite scenes are beginning to take shape.

It opens with fireworks on New Year's Eve in Tartous, Syria. "May God preserve the president for us," one young man yells in a reference to Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

Situated on the Mediterranean coast, Tartous is a resort town, with a port and a Russian naval base. Roughly three-quarters of the people in Tartous are Alawites, like Assad and his late father, who have run the country for more than 40 years.

In Syria, Some Ruling Minority Alawites Take Risky Stand Against Regime

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:39:00 +0000

The Alawites of Syria were a poor, little-known Shiite minority until longtime dictator Hafez Assad, a member of the sect, rose to power in 1970. His son, President Bashar Assad, is now fighting to maintain that power in a country that has risen up against him. Now, even some Syrian Alawites say they are willing to denounce the regime, despite the risks.

A recent gathering in Cairo was much like other conferences hosted by the Syrian opposition — a flurry of activity in the hotel lobby, late-night conversations and lots of cigarettes.

But this one was different.

Syrian Government Stronghold Raqqa Falls To Rebels

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:42:00 +0000

The Syrian provincial capital of Raqqa is the first city to fall entirely to rebels who are fighting to bring down President Bashar Assad's regime. We have the story of Mohammad Abdel Aziz, who witnessed the fall of Raqqa from inside a prison cell.

Revisiting Iraq: A Sister On The Edge

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 06:58:00 +0000

It's been 10 years since the U.S. invaded Iraq. This week we're taking a look back, revisiting voices you first heard on NPR in 2007. We brought you the story of two sisters who had lost their parents. The older sister wore conservative clothes and recited poetry. The younger sister, just 13 at the time, appeared on the verge of becoming a prostitute.

Like so many stories in Iraq, especially sensitive ones involving shame and sex, this story has to be peeled away in layers, like an onion.

It starts with the older sister, Shahad.

Face To Face With Death In Iraq

Kelly McEvers — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 22:21:00 +0000

On the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, NPR is catching up with some of the people we encountered during the war. In 2006, at the height of the violence, we brought you the story of a woman who performed the Muslim ritual of washing and preparing the dead for burial.

1 Decade Since The War, Where Iraq Stands Now

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Ten years after the U.S.-led war in Iraq, NPR is looking at where the country stands now. NPR's Kelly McEvers recently visited Baghdad and offered this take on how the Iraqi capital feels today.

I think the single word that would best describe Baghdad these days is traffic. It can take hours just to get from one place to another. And I guess that's both good and bad.

Good because it means people are out, going to work, leading normal lives. They feel safe enough to be in the streets, to be in their cars. On the weekends, the parks are full of families picnicking.

Letters To My Dead Father

Kelly McEvers — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:14:00 +0000

Ten years after the U.S. invaded Iraq, NPR is taking a look back, revisiting people and places first encountered during the war. In 2006, NPR aired a story about a 9-year-old girl who loved her father so much, she wrote him letters to take to work with him.

A Chat With A Radical Fighter In Syria

Kelly McEvers — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:23:00 +0000
The Islamist rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra has been secretive, keeping to itself and refusing to meet Western journalists. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the Obama administration and was thought to be made up mostly of foreign fighters, working alongside Syrian rebels.
But lately, members are starting to open up as more Syrians join the group and they make more gains on the ground in the fight against the Syrian government.
In the northwest Syrian town of Kafr Nabel we met a 21-year-old fighter from the group.

Syrian-Americans Contribute To Rebels' Cause

Kelly McEvers — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:10:00 +0000
Transcript
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
For nearly two years, Syrians living in the United States have watched their home country fall apart. Now in a moment, we'll hear the story of one Syrian-American who's watched the conflict from her home in Michigan, but who hasn't escaped tragedy. First, we bring you an encore broadcast of a report from NPR's Kelly McEvers.
She told us the story of one man who used his vacation time to travel from California back to Syria. His plan: to help the rebels bring down the government.
KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: He goes by the name Abu Ahmed.

Displaced Syrians Find Shelter In Ancient 'Dead Cities'

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:39:00 +0000
Parts of the northern Syrian province of Idlib are a U.N. World Heritage site, known for its ancient archaeological wonders. Walking along muddy, rocky ground covered in new grass and wild daffodils, we start to see remnants of Roman structures — the columns and doorways of dwellings, temples and churches that date back to the 1st century.
They're known as the Dead Cities, and they trace the transition from ancient pagan Rome to Christian Byzantium.

Syrian-American Returns To Home Country To Help Train, Arm Rebels

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:45:00 +0000
Transcript
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.
For nearly two years, Syrians living in the U.S. have watched their home country fall apart. Groups have organized, formed nonprofits and raised money, and some people have made more life-changing decisions. NPR's Kelly McEvers recently met up in Syria with one Syrian-American gun enthusiast. He used his vacation time to travel from California back to Syria. His plan, to help the rebels bring down the government.
KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: He goes by the name Abu Ahmed.

'Conscience' of Syrian Revolution Faces Challenge from Islamists

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:43:00 +0000
Kafr Nabl is surrounded by rocky hills covered with olive and fig trees. Located in northwest Syria near the Turkish border, it used to be a sleepy town of about 30,000 people. Then it rose up against the government in early 2011. More than a year later, the town was "liberated" by anti-government rebels who forced out soldiers and police who worked for the government.

Syrian Army Base Blocks Rebels Plans For Idlib Province

Kelly McEvers — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:06:00 +0000
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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And it's thought that the Syrian province of Idlib, near the border with Turkey, might be the first to fall under the control of rebels. If that happens, the area could serve as a safe zone for rebel fighters and aid workers.

Sectarian Tensions Are On The Rise In Iraq

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:42:00 +0000
Overall violence in Iraq has gone down in recent years but lately there's been a string of attacks targeting Shiite interests and security forces. Widespread protests in Sunni areas are calling for the downfall of the Shiite-led government.

Conflict Transforms Syrian English Teacher Into War Photographer

Kelly McEvers — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:46:00 +0000
Syria's war has thrown ordinary citizens into situations they never could have imagined and changed them in ways they never would have dreamed. It's turned carpenters, engineers and doctors into armed rebels. And in Aleppo, it has turned a young female teacher into a war photographer.
We first met Nour Kelze back in October, on our first trip to Aleppo. We asked her to work with us as an interpreter.

Syrian Opposition Leader Holds Talks With Russia, Iran

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:38:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene.
Let's begin this morning with Syria. There has been a little bit of movement on the diplomatic front. Over the weekend, one of the main Syrian opposition leaders held informal talks with the government's main backers - Russia and Iran. These talks were held on the sidelines of a security conference in Germany.

As Syrian Rebels Reopen Bakeries, Bread Crisis Starts To Ease

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:29:00 +0000
In Syria, the staple of most meals is a thin, round, flat bread that we would probably call pita.
Back in November, as fierce fighting raged across Syria, people started to run out of this bread. Government forces were attacking bakeries in rebel-held areas and cutting off electricity so mills couldn't grind flour.

For Those Still In Syria, A Daily Struggle

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 07:04:00 +0000
The situation for Syrian refugees is getting dire. Much has been reported about the worsening conditions for hundreds of thousands of Syrians taking up shelter just outside the country's borders, but inside Syria, the numbers are even higher. The United Nations says some 2 million people have been displaced from their homes in Syria, and most of them end up squatting in mosques and schools.

In War-Torn Aleppo, Old Doors That Reflect A Grand Tradition

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:38:00 +0000
Aleppo's storied old city, which dates to the 12th century, has suffered much in the fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels over the past few months. But parts of the city remain intact, as I saw on a recent walk through the winding, stone alleys on the way to the front line.
Centuries ago, it took Muslims from this area months in a caravan to make the pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, which is now part of Saudi Arabia.
The trip was so difficult that pilgrims took burial clothes with them in case they didn't survive.

Status Report On Fighting In Aleppo, Syria

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:33:00 +0000
Some six months after Syria's rebels tried to storm the country's largest city, they can claim the eastern part of Aleppo and perhaps 60 percent overall. In the west, the government army has the remaining 40 percent of the city.
The line dividing these two areas is supposedly the front line in Aleppo's war. But lately the front has gone cold, as people here say in Arabic.
You can still hear shots. But peering through a tiny little hole in a stone wall separating the two sides, this particular part of government-held Aleppo looks like a no man's land.

A Welcoming Way Station For Syrians Fleeing Home

Kelly McEvers — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:13:00 +0000
It's called Beit Qamishlo, or the House of Qamishlo. It's named after a city in northeastern Syria, though the house isn't even in Syria — it's just across the border in southern Turkey.
The house is humble, made of concrete blocks, with tile floors. Arabic slogans are taped on the walls: "Beit Qamishlo is a house for everyone," "It's a window to Syria's future," "Under one roof we plant life together and freedom."
More than just ideas, Beit Qamishlo is also a hostel, a place for Syrians who've escaped their country to crash until they find more permanent digs.

U.N.: More Than 60,000 Syrians Killed During Civil War

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 22:27:00 +0000
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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Audie Cornish.
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
And I'm Robert Siegel.
In Syria today, an airstrike by a government fighter jet on a gas station killed dozens of people. The attack happened in the capital city, Damascus. And it came as the United Nations released a detailed study documenting the deaths of almost 60,000 people since the Syrian uprising began nearly two years ago. NPR's Kelly McEvers is monitoring the conflict from Beirut.
KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: The U.N.

As Syrian War Grinds On, A Rebel Keeps Reinventing Himself

Kelly McEvers — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:03:00 +0000
Ibrahim Abazid had no idea he would be part of a nationwide revolt in Syria — or that his role would keep evolving.
It was March 2011. Some teenagers in his hometown, Dera'a, got arrested for spray painting anti-government slogans outside a school. Rumors began circulating that the teenagers were being tortured while in detention in the southern town.
In the broader region, Arab protesters had been filling the streets for months. Dictators in Tunisia and Egypt had already fallen.

'Friends Of Syria' Recognize New Opposition Coalition

Kelly McEvers — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:20:00 +0000
The U.S. now recognizes the newly formed National Syrian Coalition. The announcement came at a meeting of the so-called Friends of Syria group in the Moroccan city of Marakesh.