[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
International and Regional Perspectives
Rival Kurdish Parties Clash in Syria Wladimir van Wilgenburg suggests that there are increasing tensions between the Kurdish Freedom Party and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which “[bring] back memories of the civil war between Kurdish parties in neighboring Iraq in the 1990s.”
Tehran Tanking Marc Lynch says Iran is losing public support across the Middle East and Syria is its “nail in the coffin.”
Syrian Rebels Continue Holding 21 UN Troops The troops were kidnapped while patrolling the Golan Heights accused them of helping the Syrian regime (they were finally released on Saturday).
West Training Syrian Rebels in Jordan Julian Borger and Nick Hopkins report that British and French instructors are helping US-led efforts to support specific elements of the armed opposition.
Desperate, Some Fleeing to Syria Turn to Prostitution A report by Jamal Halaby who meets with women in Jordan’s Zaatri refugee camps
Exclusive: Gaza Salafists Take Fight to Syria Asmaa al-Ghoul reports from the Gaza Strip, where she discovers some joined the ranks of Jabhat al-Nusra
New Texts Out Now: Paul Aarts and Francesco Cavatorta, Civil Society in Syria and Iran
Syrian Narratives
What might have been: a decade of civil activism in Syria Salam Kawakibi offers an excerpt of his book chapter on the state of Syrian civil society right before the revolution started.
How the Muslim Brotherhood Hijacked Syria’s Revolution Hassan Hassan reiterates that the MB’s “power grabs have already played a major role in perpetuating the current crisis, and they bode ill for its role in the new Syria.”
Did the Muslim Brotherhood Hijack Syria’s Revolution? Karl Sharro responds to Hassan Hassan writing: “while the facts of the Brotherhood’s behind-the-scenes scheming cannot be contested, blaming the Islamist organisation solely for the failure of the opposition ignores the deeper structural reasons for this chronic failure.”
Well-Informed Misreading: A History of Syria With Dan Snow Karl Sharro criticizes Snow’s heavy reliance on history to explain the present and argues that “the sectarian tone, while never entirely absent, became more apparent in response to the violent suppression of the uprising and the subsequent militarisation of the opposition.”
Syrian Druze: Toward Defiant Neutrality Gary Gambill argues that “though a handful of Druze can be found fighting (and dying) with the rebels, the large majority of the few who have taken up arms in this conflict have done so for the other side.”
Syria: The Unfolding Tragedy Antoine Mariotti presents this documentary on France 24 about the state of the uprising two years later.
Breves Syriennes (12). Les Chretiens de Syrie Entre Appels de l’Opposition et Menaces du Regime Ignace Leverrier on the different stances adopted by Christians throughout the revolution.
Aid Traffickers Tam Hussein outlines some of the logistical challenges faced by those trying to reach people inside Syria.
The Syrian Opposition’s Call to Arms Elie Hanna suggests that “the decision and these statements were just more concise expressions of the current reality.”
Almost Two Years of Bloodshed in Syria: What End is There in Sight?Professor Beshara Doumani from Brown University speaks with Yasser Munif on VOMENA about myths, realities and trajectories of the uprising.
Syria: Both Sides Brace for Battle Ibrahim al-Amin writes that the increase in training, weapons and funds is believed by many to be an attempt to counter the rise of terrorist groups like Jabhat al-Nusra.
Inside Syria
Syria: The Story Behind One of the Most Shocking Images of the War An impressive piece of investigative journalism by Martin Chulov, who provides information on the victims based on accounts from witnesses and relatives.
Latakia Fears ‘Chaos of Arms’ Marah Mashi, reporting from Latakia, says gunfire there is heard sporadically, not to mark violent clashes but to mark funerals of those fighting for the Syrian army.
Syrian Kurds Bank on Big Oil ReservesYoussef Sheikho writes: “informed observers believe that the YPG and FSA, having snatched the territory lost by the regime, may soon clash with one another.”
A Family’s Pain and Stoicism: Civilians in Maaret al-Numan Mohammed Sergie on the resilience of people facing an internal refugee crisis and regular shelling.
Art and Social Media
Syria Behind the Lines This documentary by Olly Lambert will be aired on PBS on April 9
Double Vision: Seeing Both Sides of Syria’s War Gavin Sheridan uses footage posted on Youtube by both a regime news agency and rebels in order to reconstruct an event in Daraya.
Zabadani Under Siege Kayani Web TV on the dangers faced by farmers while doing their work.
Social Media Buzz: A Fatwa to Defend Assad Mohammed Sergie’s weekly social media pulse.
Blogging & Revolution: Syrian Human Rights Activist Razan Ghazzawi in an interview with The Current, during her visit to Canada.
Young Syrians who Fled to Cairo Choose to Continue to Protest for Their Nation Frederick Deknatel on the work of activists such as Rami Jarrah.
Policy and Reports
Government Bombs Rain on Civilians A briefing prepared by Amnesty International
Summary Killings and Other Abuses by Armed Opposition Another briefing prepared by Amnesty International
Arabic
كيف تحولت "ثورة" إلى "حرب أهلية"؟
صدى المواطنة: حراك الأقليات في سورية - محافظة السويداء
البحث عن مخارج من الأزمة السورية
بهدوء: هل التقى عبد الله الثاني بالأسد؟ سيناريوهات غامضة
هل تشكل سيطرة الثوار غلى محافظة الرقة نقطة تحول في الثورة السورية؟
أطراف الحل في الداخل السوري
و السوري بين أحزاب مأزومة و أزمة مجتمع
الثورة انثى