Although Arwad, a small island off the coast of Tartous, has been spared the bombs of the long Syrian civil war, the conflict has had an impact on people's lives here too. The island's economy, mainly reliant on fishing, sailing, and tourism, suffered heavily during the war, with very few visitors arriving. Its generations-old boat-building industry faced severe shortages in materials.
But now after the fall of the Assad regime, people see first signs of recovery and hope that economic improvements will be achieved. As tourists have started to return to the island, local officials are cautiously optimistic about a promising season.
Beneath the joy about this tentative resurgence hides a deep grief: In 2011, Assad's forces arrested many young men, accusing them of supporting the revolution and smuggling weapons. Since then, they have disappeared, and their families don't know what has happened to them.
(This video summary was created using AI. A journalist edited it before publication.)