Most recent articles by Kristin Helberg
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War reporting
Facts must be respected – even in Syria!
Amid the increasing complexity of the Syrian conflict, a growing number of "critical citizens" are assigning greater credibility to conspiracy theories on the Internet than to UN investigations that are required to meet scientific standards. Essay by Kristin Helberg
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Civil war in Syria
Fighting the jihadists with unusual weapons
Idlib, in north-western Syria, is dominated by jihadists. But resistance there takes on many forms, and civil structures are emerging as an effective weapon in the battle against terror. By Kristin Helberg
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Ending the civil war
For a different Syria
Assad is still in power. But he has nevertheless lost it – to Iran, Russia, Syrian militia leaders and war profiteers. What Germany should now do for the Syrians. By Kristin Helberg
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Battle for Syria
Trump's constructive ignorance
The U.S. war on terror is creating more terrorists and will further destabilise the Middle East. Only in Syria could Trump's military determination potentially contribute to a negotiated solution, says Kristin Helberg
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Assad's crimes tried in German courts?
Hoping for justice
German public prosecutors in Karlsruhe are acting surprisingly fast to interview Syrian victims who have filed criminal charges against members of the Syrian intelligence agency in Damascus. Specific investigations and international arrest warrants could follow. By Kristin Helberg
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Charges against Bashar al-Assad
His turn will come
Six German lawyers are bringing a case against Syrian leader Assad for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It may sound naive, but it is a long-overdue step in international law enforcement – and Germany is the perfect venue. By Kristin Helberg
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The West′s Islam debate
For all our freedoms!
Society is constantly changing and each of its members has the right to help shape it. Only once everyone can be anything they want to be – when a woman wearing a headscarf can become a government minister and someone named Ahmad a constitutional judge – will we have evolved from being screwed-up countries of immigration to successfully integrated societies. By Kristin Helberg
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Russia and the Syrian conflict
Drop the dictator!
For there to be any hope of an end to the war in Syria, Moscow has to realise that an orderly handover of power in Damascus is in its own interest, writes Kristin Helberg
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Syrian civil war
The end of a dream
In Daraya, a town southwest of Damascus, Assad has triumphed. After four years of continuous bombing and starvation, the last 8,000 residents have capitulated and agreed to be resettled by the regime. By Kristin Helberg
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The Syrian uprising five years on
Alive and kicking
After five years of war, violence and endless suffering, Syrian civil society is sending a clear message to Geneva: "We will not stop until Assad is gone." Assad, however, has no intention of relinquishing power, invoking of all things the wishes of the Syrian people. Kristin Helberg analyses the situation
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Western involvement in Syria
Fewer bombs, not more!
Only when the West has helped to end the war in Syria, or at least Assad's airstrikes, can it count on Syrian support in the fight against IS. To protect Syrians in their homeland, Germany in particular should be advocating no-bombing zones, says Kristin Helberg
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The Syrian exodus
"Stop Assad's bombs, then we'll go back"
Many Germans are wondering why so many Syrians are currently thronging its borders. Most of those arriving in Europe at the moment, however, have already been on the move for a long time. By Kristin Helberg