![Displaced families celebrate with their children the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, at a luna park in Afrin, Aleppo province, Syria, May 3, 2022.](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/2023-03/GettyImages-1240435101.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=-Daulfov)
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![Displaced families celebrate with their children the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, at a luna park in Afrin, Aleppo province, Syria, May 3, 2022.](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/2023-03/GettyImages-1240435101.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=-Daulfov)
![A Syrian couple sit at Mount Qasioun in Damascus September 12, 2005. Syria agreed on Monday with chief U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis on the procedures for questioning Syrian witnesses in the probe into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi JS/TY - RTRNNQ1](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2015/01/RTRNNQ1.jpg/RTRNNQ1.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=mrD8zLM9)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY SAMMY KETZ
A Syrian man walks past a wall bearing the portraits of soldiers from the city of Tartus, who died during the Syrian conflict, in the city northwest of Damascus on May 18, 2014. Tartus has itself largely escaped the conflict in Syria, but posters of its sons killed fighting for the regime elsewhere in the country line the western city's main road. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/12/492378475.jpg/492378475.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=58PNFAIa)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![A Syrian woman (C) stands with her daughter near the Bosphorus on August 30, 2014, at Eminonu, in Istanbul. AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/12/454384886.jpg/454384886.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=G-LCq0Rp)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![An Islamist Syrian rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra fighter talks on a walkie-talkie while carrying his weapon on Al-Khazan frontline of Khan Sheikhoun, northern Idlib province May 17, 2014. REUTERS/Hamid Khatib (SYRIA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST MILITARY POLITICS CONFLICT) - RTR3PMA6](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/11/RTR3PMA6.jpg/RTR3PMA6.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=cXDFdVd0)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![Election posters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad hang along a street and on buildings in Latakia city May 24, 2014. Syria is holding an election in June that looks all but certain to give President Bashar al-Assad a third seven-year term. REUTERS/Khaled al-Hariri (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST ELECTIONS) - RTR3QO2K](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/10/RTR3QO2K.jpg/RTR3QO2K.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=2Zg-7EcJ)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![Supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad take part in a rally showing support a day after he declared that he would seek re-election in June, in Aleppo April 29, 2014. Al-Assad declared on Monday he will seek re-election in June, defying calls from his opponents to step aside and allow a political solution to the devastating civil war stemming from protests against his rule. REUTERS/George Ourfalian (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3N3ED](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/10/RTR3N3ED.jpg/RTR3N3ED.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=tci0_pQo)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![An old damaged Orthodox Church is pictured in the besieged area of Homs December 8, 2013. REUTERS/Yazan Homsy (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT RELIGION) - RTX16A57](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/09/RTX16A57.jpg/RTX16A57.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=ajOiNWrG)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY SAMMY KETZ
A memorial bearing the portraits of soldiers from the city of Tartus, who died during the Syrian conflict, is seen on a wall in the city northwest of Damascus on May 18, 2014. Tartus has itself largely escaped the conflict in Syria, but posters of its sons killed fighting for the regime elsewhere in the country line the western city's main road. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/08/492378477-1.jpg/492378477-1.jpg?h=c2c5b897&itok=4APGafHj)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY SAMMY KETZ
The portrait of a Syrian soldier, who died during the Syrian conflict, is seen at the Martyr's cemetery of the city of Tartus northwest of Damascus on May 18, 2014. Tartus has itself largely escaped the conflict in Syria, but posters of its sons killed fighting for the regime elsewhere in the country line the western city's main road. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/08/492378489.jpg/492378489.jpg?h=c2c5b897&itok=ShkVgx0J)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![People walk past damaged buildings as they shop on the eve of Eid al-Fitr in Idlib countryside July 27, 2014. The Eid al-Fitr festival marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Picture taken July 27, 2014. REUTERS/Nour Kelze (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT RELIGION) - RTR40CM6](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/07/RTR40CM6.jpg/RTR40CM6.jpg?h=c2c5b897&itok=-j6j_Jvm)
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus
![A correspondent in Damascus](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/am-globe.jpg/am-globe.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=6gyE3NCZ)
A correspondent in Damascus