Syria fishermen despair at water loss, river pollution

Tabqa Dam, Syria (AFP) July 27, 2023

Around war-torn Syria's biggest freshwater dam reservoir, fishermen say their catch is now a fraction of what it used to be as environmental pressures have decimated aquatic life. Ismail Hilal, 50, sat on the hull of his rowboat - now lodged firmly on the shores of Lake Assad - as gentle waves washed in, talking about the way of life he has lost. After 37 years as a fisherman, he has r