A correspondent for The National has been awarded the prestigious New America fellowship for a book he is writing on the start of the Syrian civil war.

Phil Sands was based in Damascus for The National from 2008 through to 2013 and has continued as a correspondent specialising in in-depth stories on Syria’s southern front.

His book is focused on a murder committed in the opening months of the Syrian uprising, which exposes new details about the start of the revolt and the country’s descent into war.

The New America Fellows programme supports journalists and scholars “whose work enhances the public conversation about the most pressing issues of our day”.

Here are links to some of Phil Sands’ stories for The National:

Death of a Syrian arms salesman

‘The Uncle’: The life and death of ISIL’s man in southern Syria

Exclusive: The spy who fooled the Assad regime

Blood ties: the shadowy member of the Assad clan who ignited the Syrian conflict