India, March 20 -- I thought we were staying here, here in Damascus, Sufien said to his mother. He loved the city already, all those buildings sprawled against the hills. Sufien likened it to the spread of Allah's house above, a home of many mansions.

That's when Sufien saw the officer in the distance, commanding them all in French.

They walked and they walked, and when Sufien looked back, hours had passed, and the dense city had fallen away. Before him spread out rows, as far as he could see, of tents, people's belongings piled around them in unruly stacks, like a natural disaster had swept through, and there were suitcases unfolded and clothing hung on lines. At once the stars were rising, and then a flurry of clouds passed overhead a...