Syria 2012

As the uprising of Syrian dissidents expanded throughout 2012 into full-fledged civil war, NPR correspondents Deborah Amos and Kelly McEvers provided a steady flow of information for their listeners. Their reports began with opportunities afforded by official visas. Focused on Damascus, they were able at times to travel outside the capital. Soon, however, McEvers was denied official entry by the government, and Amos found it increasingly difficult to obtain permission to enter Syria. Both correspondents continued to report, however, often from the Turkish border or following clandestine entry to conflict zones. Using Skype and YouTube, they provided detailed information on a fluid situation. McEvers’ interviews with rebel commanders examined atrocities and pointed to the implications of sectarian violence in the future. Amos also contacted rebel leaders who, toward the end of the year, claimed control of regions and plans for further successes. Topics in these vital accounts range from descriptions of refugee camps to the state of the Syrian economy. Throughout their reports, Amos and McEvers provided crucial information, precise analysis and ground level details that enabled listeners to understand a conflict fraught with complication and confusion. For this, their reports receive a Peabody Award.