Assad

Since 2014 dozens of foreign volunteers have fought alongside Kurdish forces in northern Syria against the Islamic State. Mehmet Aksoy, a British Kurd, was killed by IS last year and thousands gathered in North London to pay their respects.

Over 200,000 Syrian's remain in the Assad government's notorious prison system where inmates face a regime of torture and secret executions. Families for Freedom is a campaign by Syrian women fighting to raise awareness for those still detained.

Quick Hit on Syria's night at the Oscars

VICE News filmmaker Medyan Dairieh travelled Aleppo, where fighters and their families are still holding out against government forces and Islamic State fighters.