Long neglected by the Syrian state and one of the first cities to rise up in the 2011 revolution, Deir al-Zour endured years of siege, bombardment, and successive occupation by government forces, ISIS, and Kurdish-led fighters. The conflict left around 75% of the city’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed. In 2025, the Euphrates River marked a divide; the government controlled one bank, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the other, complicating daily movement, trade, and access to services. For those who remained, and those who returned, rebuilding continued regardless.
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2026 Photo Contest - West, Central, and South Asia - Stories
A Syrian City Rebuilds, Still Divided
Photographer
VII Photo, for The New York Times
Shutter Speed
1/160
ISO
1.6
Camera
SL2
Jury comment
This story offers a thoughtful look at life in Syria after intense conflict; with a focus on people returning to and rebuilding their lives. By centering reconstruction efforts, and the routines of daily life, the photographer documents what it means to move forward in the aftermath of conflict. The work stands out for its intelligent, human-centered approach.