The Audio Long Read Out of the ruins: will Aleppo ever be rebuilt?
Feb 27, 2026
A writer walks through Aleppo’s shattered neighborhoods and the people who keep returning to their ruined homes. Listeners hear about the enormous task of clearing rubble and the dangers of uncoordinated rebuilding. The lost souks, partial restorations and the pressure from cheap imports on local craftsmen are explored. Personal stories reveal detention, conscription and the emotional work of reclaiming space.
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Man Reclaims Ruined Family Home
- Abu Arab returned to his family home in Amriya after 13 years and began rebuilding amid rubble and theft.
- He sleeps next to stolen cement bags, recalls his room and sniper holes, and plans to reunite his family once repairs finish.
Scale Of Destruction Makes Reconstruction A Generational Task
- Nearly two-thirds of Aleppo is in ruins and clearing rubble alone will take years before reconstruction can start.
- Local, uncoordinated repairs by individuals risk lives because many buildings are structurally unsound.
Family Home Built With Community Life And Crafts
- Abu Arab's father built a multi-story family house in the 1980s with a clinic on the ground floor and a rooftop herb garden.
- The house once hosted a metal swing where the brothers watched Aleppo's lights and highway toward Damascus.