Syria Watch

To rate this app with stars seems inconsistent with its purpose. To even call it an ‘app’ feels strange and irrelevant. Every time I read a notification, “Assad forces … bombed … village … with heavy artillery” and “Russian forces bombard … village … with heavy artillery”, the initial almost undetectable thought that runs through my mind is that someone is waging war against a strong and vicious enemy. A powerful force that has to be decimated by brutal prolific bombing. But of course the next split second realization is that the “enemy“ are all mostly – overwhelmingly – unarmed innocent people! “Villages”!! So that in turn hammers home the overwhelming reminder of how heinous and horrible and cruel these attacks truly are. I sit here working from home and my phone is quietly flashing with banners. Over and over again. I don’t even have to open the messages. I just raise my phone and read, “Rural Hama … Rocket launches, target Al Sirmaniyah …” to viscerally feel the painful reminder. How would I “rate” that? The information provided is a storyboard for a horror film. But this story is actually happening right now! Why won’t it stop?! Why do these reminders KEEP COMING?!? If I must “review” this app, then I will testify to how powerful this constant flow of information is. I’m not in Syria and I don’t see these attacks myself. It was so easy just to forget and not think about. But not anymore.

I was unable to find a way to communicate with the developers. I'm wondering why everything listed seems to be narrowly focused on the atrocities of Assad when there are SO many players and bombings everyday that would give a fuller picture of the horrors. By only reporting Assad's atrocities (which are many) it seems that a narrative is being painted rather than a full picture.

This app is so well done and really helps to keep us informed on the constant atrocities happening in Syria.