Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
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Qunfuz is the Arabic word for ‘hedgehog’ or ‘porcupine’. I am Robin Yassin-Kassab, born in west London in 1969. Except for six months in Beirut, I grew up in England and Scotland. I have lived and worked in London, France, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Now I live in Scotland. In this space, i share my comments on Middle Eastern issues and politics.
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
A slightly edited version of this text was published at the Guardian. The liberation of Syria was long hoped for, but unexpected. Over the last weeks, Syrians have experienced the full range of human emotions, with the exception of boredom. On the first two Assad-free Fridays, millions of celebrants swelled the streets to chant and sing and speak ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
I was pleased to discuss events unfolding in Syria and the region on the Pakistan-based Eon podcast ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
I was interviewed at length on the Middle East Monitor podcast about the ISIS Prisons Museum. I’m really pleased to work with this highly-professional, grassroots Syrian and Iraqi project, which brings together human rights, investigative journalism and cutting-edge technology. I gave the interview before the fall of the Assad regime, so I need to update ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
I was very happy to be interviewed about Syria by Muhammad Jalal for his Thinking Muslim podcast ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
This was published at the New Arab (link here) We feared the regime’s end would be accompanied by a bloodbath. Thank God, that hasn’t happened. In the end the regime collapsed without a fight, even in its supposed heartland on the coast. There has been some looting in Damascus, which has been somewhat more chaotic ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
The Syrian Revolution: the most thoroughgoing, diverse, persistent and resilient revolution in all human history. The revolutionary Syrian people: a people that risked everything, lost everything, and then won. A people that was helped only by God. I remember Syrians chanting “Ya Allah, Malna Ghairak Ya Allah” – O God, We Have Nobody but You ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
Much of the media is reporting the collapse of the Assad regime as ‘scary jihadis’ rather than as the liberation – the huge advance in human freedom – it actually is. I’ve written this text for the ISIS Prisons Museum (where I am chief English editor) giving background on Assad’s detention and torture state, and ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
I was on Luton’s Inspire FM trying to summarise the dramatic and blessed events in Syria. I’m really trying not to deal with the idiotic and inhumane campist propaganda that ignores the agency of the Syrian people in favour of ridiculous and ignorant grand geo-political narratives. There’s so much more important stuff going on than ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
Dawn MENA (Democracy in Exile) hosted me and Radwan Ziadeh on a Twitter Space, where we discussed the astounding advances of the suddenly revived Syrian Revolution. You can listen to it here ..read more
Qunfuz | Arabic Blogger
1M ago
An edited version of this article was published at the New Statesman. Today, for the first time in years, millions of Syrians can dare to hope. In only three days, rebel forces swept out of the north western corner of the country in which they had been crammed, into Aleppo city and beyond. The dominant ..read more