May 27, 2016 Issue

Maaret al-Numan, Syria—Children duck under desks during a war safety awareness class conducted by civil defense members in a rebel-held area on May 14. In addition to attacks by the Islamic State group and air bombings by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Russia, Syrians may soon have to contend with Al-Qaeda, according to U.S. and European intelligence and counterterrorism officials quoted by The New York Times. It reported that a dozen of Al-Qaeda’s most seasoned fighters have been dispatched to Syria in an effort to challenge ISIS for dominance in the region.