Homs exemplifies Syria’s complex post-Assad recovery: Once the revolution’s epicenter, the city shows physical destruction (especially Khalidiya’s skeletal buildings), demographic shifts (displacements and resettlement from Idlib), and lingering communal distrust, yet surface-level normalcy is slowly returning. 

Tentative signs of improvement: Electricity and fuel availability have markedly increased, the Homs refinery is operational, agriculture is reviving due to decent rains, and social life (weddings, cafes, World Cup viewings) is re-emerging with some expatriate returns. 

Persistent deep challenges: High unemployment, cash-only economy, security operations in Alawi areas, unresolved trauma from mass killings and sieges, and fragile foundations mean recovery remains slow and vulnerable despite cautious optimism.

Syria has rarely featured in the news of late. Perhaps that is a relief. Syrians joke that, during the US-Israeli war on Iran, Syria was once again one of the safer areas in the Middle East. Visitors to Damascus have increased, including President Emmanuel Macron of France. Yet the warnings are there, as two small bombs in the heart of the capital showed.Yet to understand the ebb and flow, the highs and lows of Syria in 2026, more must head out of Damascus. Capital bias is a frequent factor in postwar situations but it does warp a proper understanding of the situation. The center of Damascus escaped the worst of the war and has benefited from a mild revival since........

© Eurasia Review