Investigative journalist at Bloomberg. Recovering Foreign Correspondent. Formerly with ProPublica, Reuters, Al Jazeera English, LA Times. umar-farooq.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3mgef7bo3s22xI wrote a bit about the two largest ethnic insurgencies in Iran, the Kurdish and Baloch movements https://sharbat.substack.com/p/he-went-to-the-mountains06 Mar 2026 03:38 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgef7bo3s22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3llznuha6lc2uThousands of Uyghur immigrants are in Syria, some having lived there for more than a decade. Now, they are hoping they can make a home there, but geopolitics and global concern over foreign fighters might make that difficult. https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/04/uyghurs-tpd-syria-fighters__trashed/05 Apr 2025 00:19 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3llznuha6lc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lelbzjm4l22rSyria will hold a national conference starting Jan 4 - basically a grand jirga. Around 1,200 people will attend, and come up with a process for a new constitution. HTS, as a group, will be dissolved at the conference.31 Dec 2024 05:13 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lelbzjm4l22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3ldqmaltcl22lHere's my look at how the fall of Assad offers chance for closure for cases of the missing - including American Majd Kamalmaz - and how former regime officials might now be held accountable for war crimes. https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/syrian-government-collapse-unlocks-trove-of-war-crimes-evidence20 Dec 2024 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldqmaltcl22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3ldqmaltcl22lHere's my look at how the fall of Assad offers chance for closure for cases of the missing - including American Majd Kamalmaz - and how former regime officials might now be held accountable for war crimes. https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/syrian-government-collapse-unlocks-trove-of-war-crimes-evidence20 Dec 2024 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldqmaltcl22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lcqon56sv22hWhat comes after Assad? In Syria, one positive consequence of a long war is there are actually plenty of groups with some governance experience.07 Dec 2024 21:52 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcqon56sv22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lcqfvpj6jc26At this point in Syria, I’m not sure it even matters what powers like the US, Russia, Turkey or Iran want. The fact on the ground is Assad is falling. There’s not only unprecedented military losses, but also an organic civil uprising that’s more widespread even than when this all began in 2011.07 Dec 2024 19:16 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcqfvpj6jc26https://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lcovwincis2aIf current Syrian opposition push continues, pretty soon the regime will just have Latakia left - including key Russian base at Tartus - and Damascus will be pressed from north by HTS and south by Daraa opposition forces.07 Dec 2024 04:57 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcovwincis2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lcot5pkkzc2zAssad sent his immediate family to Russia and the UAE per Syrian and other Arab officials according to the WSJ. Many signs pointing to Assad looking for an off ramp, but what comes after for Syria? https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/syrian-rebels-advance-on-third-major-city-in-growing-threat-to-assad-bd21f39f07 Dec 2024 04:08 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcot5pkkzc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lch65cugsk2qFBI investigates mysterious drones filling night sky in New Jersey that have 'unnerved' residents https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-investigates-mysterious-drones-filling-night-sky-new-jersey-unnerv-rcna18263704 Dec 2024 03:03 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lch65cugsk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lc7ejuybcs2mLeonard Peltier: Amnesty Int’l Calls on Biden to Free Indigenous Leader “Before It’s Too Late” https://www.democracynow.org/2024/11/26/biden_leonard_peltier01 Dec 2024 00:36 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc7ejuybcs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lc4hjsm2i225“It tastes much better than other bananas. Indeed, quite good,” he said. Cryptocurrency entrepreneur who bought banana art for $6.2 million eats the fruit in Hong Kong https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-banana-art-justin-sun-eat-cryptocurrency-ea246755028e74b87a2ecd8a27af16bf29 Nov 2024 20:52 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc4hjsm2i225https://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lbqnj76zvc2nThousands of Rohingya in refugee camps have joined up to fight alongside Myanmar’s military junta in the civil war, lured by promises of citizenship https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/worlds-largest-refugee-camps-rohingya-mobilise-fight-myanmar-2024-11-25/25 Nov 2024 04:07 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbqnj76zvc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/farooqumar.bsky.social/post/3lbilroj5mn2bCan't recall a development like this in the US before: 100+ civil society groups are saying they are worried about a proposed law handing the Treasury broad power to target non-profits over vague accusations of being "terrorist supporting organizations" #HR9495 https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/u-s-house-of-representatives-passes-dangerous-legislation-that-threatens-civil-society/21 Nov 2024 23:14 +0000at://did:plc:aubaitwdrp7ekbg32d7du5w2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbilroj5mn2b