The crisis in Syria has displaced about 1.4 million children and teenagers from their homes. An estimated 900,000 of them are not in school. Historically, in conflict zones, education has taken a backseat to immediate needs like food, shelter and medical care. But more recently, there has been a movement in the international aid community to provide better “education in …

The Syrian army’s advance in Aleppo slowed on Thursday but a victory was still firmly in sight after President Bashar al-Assad vowed that retaking the nation’s second city would change the course of the six-year civil war in his favour. Lightning gains in recent days in which government forces and their allies recaptured Aleppo’s historic Old City lost some momentum …

As the most intensive air bombardment of the war has rained down on opposition-held east Aleppo this week, an army of some 6,000 pro-government fighters has gathered on its outskirts for what they plan will be an imminent, decisive advance. Among those poised to attack are hundreds of Syrian troops who have eyed the city from distant fixed positions since …

Syrian rebel groups launched a new offensive against government forces on Monday and some accused the United Nations of bias, imperilling peace talks already threatened by fighting. The opposition’s coordinator at the Geneva talks said it was unacceptable for negotiations to go on if the government and its allies pushed on with sieges and bombing civilian areas, echoing recent criticism …