The Global Story How Syria is rebuilding after the fall of a dictator
9 snips
Dec 10, 2025 
Join Jeremy Bowen, BBC international editor and seasoned Middle East correspondent, as he reports from Damascus a year after the fall of the Assad regime. He delves into the current state of daily life in Syria, highlighting the stark realities of poverty amidst rubble and limited reconstruction. Bowen discusses Ahmed al-Sharah's international outreach and the fragile hopes for accountability. He shares poignant stories from civilians affected by ongoing violence and examines the complexities of rebuilding a nation emerging from dictatorship.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Golan Village Shootout And Civilian Loss
- A village near the Golan, Beinin, was raided by Israeli forces and fought back, leaving civilians wounded and dead.
- Jeremy Bowen describes entering the family home where a 17-year-old, Hiba, died and others lay wounded, showing daily trauma.
Reconstruction Hampered By Rubble And Sanctions
- Syria's economy struggles because of widespread war damage, unexploded ordnance, and remaining sanctions that block investment.
- Bowen says lifting sanctions would ease investment but clearing rubble and ordnance is a costly prerequisite to rebuilding.
Douma's Grassroots Return And Recovery
- Douma shows grassroots rebuilding: families returning, buses arriving, and residents repairing homes themselves.
- Bowen recounts meeting a former rebel commander who said rebuilding will be done by families because government funds are absent.