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Nour Samaha is a freelance journalist based in Beirut. She has been covering the region, with a specific focus on Lebanon, Syria and Israel/Palestine, since 2006. She predominantly writes on political, security and humanitarian issues. On Twitter: @nour_samaha
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![Hezbollah fighter walk near a military tank in Western Qalamoun, Syria August 23, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki - RTS1D0E2](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/08/RTS1D0E2.jpg/RTS1D0E2.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=ZwLz0_LA)
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Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)
![A portrait of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on January 19 at the entrance of the village of Hadar in the Syrian side of Golan Heights close to Mount Haramoun which is a stratigic site that Israel occupied with Golan Heights in 1967.The Golan is at the centre of Syrian-Israeli peace negotiations. - RTXJG3W](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/04/RTXJG3W.jpg/RTXJG3W.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=ECvAnbiL)
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Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)
![A general view shows smoke rising in the distance after fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), made up of an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, fired a mortar launcher from the village of Sabah al-Khayr on the northern outskirts of Deir Ezzor as they drive to encircle the Islamic State (IS) group bastion of Raqa on February 21, 2017.
The SDF made a major incursion into the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor as part of their push for Raqa, field commander Dejwar Khabat said.
/ AFP](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/02/GettyImages-643646148.jpg/GettyImages-643646148.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=Dhmfy0td)
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Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)
![People walk past a billboard depicting Syria's President Bashar al-Assad at Saadallah al-Jabri Square, in the government controlled area of Aleppo, Syria December 17, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki - RTX2VGTH](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/01/RTX2VGTH.jpg/RTX2VGTH.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=_gP4wCzq)
![Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2016/Nour_Samaha.jpg/Nour_Samaha.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=bSq99pZC)
Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)
![A view shows collapsed buildings after what activists said was a U.S.-led air strike on Harem city in Idlib countryside November 7, 2014. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTR4DB3M](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/09/RTR4DB3M.jpg/RTR4DB3M.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=cvnj6sRv)
![Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2016/Nour_Samaha.jpg/Nour_Samaha.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=bSq99pZC)
Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)
![Israeli soldiers from the 605 Combat Engineering Corps battalion take part in a training session on the Israeli side of the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights June 1, 2016.REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX2F6VN](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/07/RTX2F6VN.jpg/RTX2F6VN.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=JKCs5Ii2)
![Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2016/Nour_Samaha.jpg/Nour_Samaha.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=bSq99pZC)
Nour Samaha (Lebanon Pulse)