Jake

Rebels in Syria have continued their swift advance, capturing key areas, including much of Aleppo in the north and making significant gains in the south. The offensive is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group that has emerged as the most significant opposition force to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in over a decade.

Classic rock melodies by Eric Clapton and Deep Purple drift from a shaded courtyard in the seaside town of Ialysos on the northern coast of Rhodes as Jake gently strums his guitar. It's his way of finding comfort, and of thanking Irini Papastamati for opening her home to him and his family after they fled the wildfires roaring across the southeastern Aegean island since last week.