Olympic refugee team: Rami Anis’ journey from Aleppo to the Rio 2016 Games.

Rami is one of ten members of the first Refugee Olympic Team. He is joined on the team by Damascus native and swimmer Yusra Mardini.

Cultural Heritage

German Commission for UNESCO / Till Budde.

Syrian and international experts met in Berlin in early June to assess damage to cultural heritage sites in Syria, develop methodologies and define priority emergency safeguarding measures for the country’s heritage.

The Conflict

Undetonated Explosive Hose. Photo: Mustafa Hussein.

Activists reported that the government dropped 100-meter-long mine-clearing explosive hoses June 11 over al-Breij.

Activists said this was the first time the government had dropped the weapons on Aleppo. They have been used in other areas, most notably the Jobar district of Damascus in 2014.

The UN issued a strong condemnation after three hospitals in rebel-held areas of the Syrian city of Aleppo were attacked in the space of three hours. At least 20 people, including many children, were killed in al-Shaar.

Agony in Aleppo – inside Syria’s Al-Quds hospital