Yes, there’s still a war in Syria. The fact we could forget that is horrifying

Fatigue is inevitable and it is human. But when it comes to global news events, it is perhaps the cruellest part of international response, writes David Harding

The world was for so many years transfixed by Syria but memory is short, and indifference is captivating (AFP/Getty)

“Hang on,” said the anchor for the radio channel I won’t name. “Is there still a war in Syria? Is it still going on?”

My heart sunk. I was talking about the desperate plight of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a country in the grips of one of the worst economic collapses in modern history.

Unable to feed their children, or keep a roof over their heads, families were risking their lives by taking rickety boats to Cyprus. I was explaining that they were forced to do this as they could not go home because Syria was still an unsafe active war zone.