Religious Freedom Hangs in the Balance in Syria

HTS, an Islamist group with al-Qaeda roots, is now the strongest force in Syria. The fallen Assad regime, while brutal, was formally socialist and secular, allowing a degree of religious freedom. Syria is now in danger of losing this relative freedom.   Flavius Mihaies is an investigative journalist with extensive field experience in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Eastern Europe, and Africa. His journalism primarily focuses on conflict, the experiences of minorities at war, and the effects of economic sanctions. Before his journalistic career, Flavius worked with the US Congress, think tanks, international organizations, and private sector entities in development and foreign policy. HuffPost, the Atlantic Council, and Al Jazeera have featured his work. Flavius frequently travels to the Middle East, where he has firsthand experience working in a Syrian refugee camp, touring towns in the Kurdish region, and visiting local Christian communities. He has also completed a book on Syria.