Before the Syrian conflict, the country suffered a severe drought. Resulting crop failures sent over 1.5 million people into urban centres that contributed to the destabilisation of the country and devastating civil war.

The immense human toll is a far more immediate and obvious concern.

At least 36 people have been killed in air strikes by Russian and Syrian jets on Islamic State-controlled Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said.

The U.S. faces the dilemma of whether to take in refugees from the Syrian civil war, but it could prove beneficial for the economy.

France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier will be deployed to the eastern Mediterranean to boost operations in Syria.

The Paris attacks and the largely stalemated war in Iraq and Syria have prompted heavy criticism of Barack Obama's handling of the fight against Isis.

France and its allies in the air must not let up over the weeks ahead but it is, of course, no more than the terrorists would have expected.

In 2013 Amin Mohamed, 25, obtained a NZ passport, quit his job, booked a flight to Istanbul and discussed travelling to Syria with a man.

American anti-tank missiles supplied to Syrian rebels are playing an unexpectedly prominent role in shaping the Syrian battlefield.

Kiwi journalist Rachel Smalley is hosting a special Forgotten Millions gala dinner and auction tomorrow at the SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland.

Russian warships join the conflict in Syria with a volley of cruise missile attacks from more than 1000km away.

Moscow says it will work to avert potential mishaps between Russian and US pilots flying missions over Syria, Pentagon officials say.

A sudden surge of population puts too much strain on the social and physical infrastructure of receiving countries, but it also severely diminishes the hope that the forsaken country can ever recover.

Fighting to protect the tyranny of Assad because of the fear of the evil of Isis would be pointless.

A Kiwi who allegedly tried to join the conflict in Syria was advised to use online messaging apps to avoid detection by authorities, a court has been told.

Prime Minister John Key will attend President Obama's summit on countering Isis early tomorrow morning New Zealand time.

For two years, Raed Saleh, leader and spokesman of the White Helmets, a movement of 2700 local civilian volunteers, has been digging Syria's inhabitants out of its rubble.

Mohamad Ouzoun feels guilty for living in NZ - because his twin sister and her children cannot leave their house without fear of being molested.

The generosity of Kiwis has helped that the plight of millions of refugees.

Rachel Smalley is drawn into the nightmare of two brothers who are separated en route to Germany.

A man accused of planning to use a New Zealand passport to fight with extremists in Syria will stand trial tomorrow.

More than 100,000 people attended an "anti-terrorism" rally in Istanbul yesterday to back President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's controversial offensive against Kurdish rebels, six weeks before....

Rachel Smalley comes face to face with the grim reality of life as a refugee in Turkey as she witnesses how families try to rebuild their lives.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are dead, millions are displaced or living as refugees, and 13.5 million people are relying on aid just to sustain their lives.

Rachel Smalley meets a couple of children affected differently by the ordeal but with equally unclear futures.

Every parent does it. I know I do. We have great hopes for our children.

Hazara family tell Rachel Smalley they are in Serbia to escape the resurgent Taliban in their home country.

Rachel Smalley reports about a couple's 2000km trip over land and sea with handicapped twins getting closer to their goal: 'To live respectful lives'.