Recounting the war in Syria through heavy metal music

By: Sanam SHANTYAEI Follow | Joanna COCKERELL | Stéphanie CHEVAL | Sonia BARITELLO Monzer Darwish calls himself a “metalhead”. After losing one of his band members in 2013 to the Syrian conflict, he decided to make a documentary about the heavy metal scene in the country

“Syrian Metal is War” looks at how these musicians continued to perform during the war, while facing potential threats from both the regime and the Islamic State group. After fleeing Syria, Monzer made his way to the Netherlands in 2014. He tells us more about the documentary and its message. ADVERTISING Meanwhile, in Israel, a mudslinging campaign is underway ahead of an April 9 election. Up until several months ago, Benjamin Netanyahu was on track to secure a fifth term in office, which would make him the country’s longest-serving prime minister. But his position is being challenged by Benny Gantz, a former army chief. And when the Islamic State group swept through Iraq in 2013, Christians were among those forced to flee their towns and villages, with thousands seeking refuge in Lebanon. Today, 16,000 Iraqi Christians live in Beirut. However, while their immediate security worries have diminished, life in exile has been arduous. Our correspondent Leila Molana-Allen reports.