The Assad Files German Prosecutors Are Collecting Evidence on Chemical Weapons Attacks in Syria German prosecutors are currently collecting witness testimonies, documents and videos incriminating Syria in what are believed to be war crimes. The evidence against the Assad regime compiled by groups that have filed a criminal complaint in Germany is overwhelming. By Christoph Reuter, Fidelius Schmid und Wolf Wiedmann-Schmidt
Illegal Practices EU Border Agency Frontex Complicit in Greek Refugee Pushback Campaign Greek border guards have been forcing large numbers of refugees back to sea in pushback operations that violate international law. DER SPIEGEL and its reporting partners have learned that the European Union is also complicit in the highly controversial practice. By Giorgos Christides, Emmanuel Freudenthal, Steffen Lüdke und Maximilian Popp
Five Years After Refugee Wave How Syrians Are Reshaping German Society A large portion of the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who arrived in Germany in 2015 are planning to stay in the country for good. They have changed much over the past five years, and so has the country. By Katrin Elger
Guns for Hire The Renewed Dependency on Mercenary Fighters Countries like Russia and Turkey are increasingly using mercenaries to fight wars on their behalf. It complicates efforts to end such conflicts and turns war into a way of life for some. By Mirco Keilberth, Maximilian Popp, Christoph Reuter und Adam Asaad
The Assads Versus the Makhloufs A Bitter Feud over Power and Money Erupts in Syria For the last several months, a heated conflict has been escalating between the most powerful families in Syria. It has been trying Russia's patience and could decide who will ultimately wield control. By Christoph Reuter
Greece, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Kenya Fear Grows of a COVID-19 Outbreak in Refugee Camps In refugee camps around the world, large numbers of people live together in close quarters. Aid workers are trying to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak by implementing strict rules. Doctors warn they face an impossible task. By Giorgos Christides, Laura Höflinger, Katrin Kuntz und Alexandra Rojkov
The Closed Gates of Europe Refugees Caught in the Middle of Turkey-EU Standoff When the refugee crisis ebbed in 2016, the EU could have used the time to fix its asylum system. But it didn't. Now, Turkey is sending refugees north again as more Syrians seek to escape the violence in Idlib. The ensuing chaos has come as a surprise to nobody.
The Battle for Idlib A Divide Widens Between Russia and Turkey Syrian troops continue advancing on Idlib as Russian bombs keep falling. Meanwhile, Turkey is calling for an end to the violence, threating an already fragile relationship with Moscow. Civilians are caught in the middle. By Maximilian Popp und Christoph Reuter
Tracking Baghdadi The Hunt for the World's Most-Wanted Terrorist For years, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was the world's most-wanted terrorist. Last weekend, American elite soldiers managed to find and eliminate him in compound in northeastern Syria. How did he end up there? Von Christoph Reuter
Wolfgang Ischinger on Northern Syria German Defense Minister's Proposal 'Deserves Recognition' In an interview, Wolfgang Ischinger, head of the influential Munich Security Conference, praises the German defense minister for her push for a security corridor in northern Syria and explains why Vladimir Putin might even agree to it. Von Christiane Hoffmann
War Games German Syria Proposal a Risk for Merkel Ally By proposing a security zone in northern Syria, Germany's defense minister has irked important allies in Berlin and taken international partners by surprise. It is a risky move and could determine whether she will succeed Merkel as chancellor. By DER SPIEGEL Staff
The Triumph of the Autocrats What the Syrian Debacle Means for the Middle East and Europe Now that the U.S. has withdrawn from northern Syria, a trio of autocrats is dividing the country up between them. But with Putin, Erdogan and Assad now having the say in the region, dangers are on the horizon for Europe. By DER SPIEGEL Staff
First Come the Drones, Then the Missiles Assad Is Hunting Civilians in Idlib Syrian forces are targeting individual civilians in Idlib province with drones and fighter jets. Once the last stronghold of anti-government rebels, Idlib is now under the firm control of dictator Bashar Assad. Even Turkey, once the rebels' protector, is powerless to help. Von Susanne Koelbl und Christoph Reuter
The Syrian Patient Assad Henchman Treated Abroad Despite Arrest Warrant Jamil Hassan is one of the Assad regime's most brutal henchmen. But despite an international warrant for his arrest, he was able to travel to Beirut for treatment of his ailing heart. Why wasn't he taken into custody? Von Christoph Reuter und Fidelius Schmid
No Way Back Why Most Syrian Refugees Want to Stay in Germany Islamic State has been conquered and the war has ended in large parts of Syria, but most Syrian refugees living in Germany want to stay. Many fear persecution if they go back while others have already established themselves in their new home. Von Katrin Elger und Asia Haidar
Syrian Refugees The Challenges of Starting a New Life in Jordan Hundreds of thousands of Syrians fled the violence in their homeland to Jordan. Many still live in camps while others have tried to start new lives in the city. Here, they speak of the challenges they face. Von Franziska Tschinderle und Bradley Secker
Beaten but Not Defeated Islamic State Plans Next Move After Loss of 'Caliphate' In the desert between Iraq and Syria, mostly Kurdish forces have seized the last remaining pocket of the Islamic State's once sprawling dominion. But while the terrorists may have capitulated for now, many have gone underground to plan the next deadly phase. Von Christoph Reuter
The Caliphate's Kids Sick Children Bear the Brunt of Post-IS Chaos The last pocket of Islamic State may have been dislodged over the weekend, but the extremist group has left behind hundreds of children. They are the group's weakest and most innocent victims -- and in urgent need of medical care. Von Christoph Reuter
Arrests in Germany Syrian Torturers Face Justice in Europe In a first, German authorities have arrested two men accused of being part of the Syrian regime's torture apparatus. Thousands of Syrian residents, and even German citizens, have been caught in Assad's jails, which have been the sites of widespread human rights abuses.
Interview with Obama Adviser Ben Rhodes 'Trump Is Just Tearing Things Down' Ben Rhodes was a key adviser in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. With his memoir now being published in German, DER SPIEGEL spoke with him about the Donald Trump presidency, America's diminished role in the world and Obama's Middle East policy. Von Christoph Scheuermann