Syria news/Current

23 Dec. Following reports of Turkish fighter jets attacking residential areas of Al-Bab the days before, a SOHR statement speaks of a massacre with so far 72 killed, among them 21 children. According to a report in a Turkish newspaper, the soldiers involved in Al-Bab are elite forces who have taken part in the destructive operations in Turkey's Kurdish cities of Sur, Diyarbakir, Silopi etc before going to Syria.

22 Dec. Moderate rebels massacre over 100 hostages at the Sukkari School before leaving Aleppo.

22 Dec. The Syrian Military, the International Red Cross and ACLOS' trusted map maker agree that all of Aleppo city is under government control. Merry white Christmas and a happy new year to the people of Aleppo and the proudly standing nation of Syria!

Two attempts by ISIS to enter the T-4 airbase west of Palmyra have been foiled by the SAA and allies.

ISIS releases a video in which two captured Turkish soldiers in a cage are burned alive.

21 Dec. Another attempt of Operation Euphrates Shield to storm Al-Bab ends with 14 dead and 33 wounded Turkish soldiers, and an unknown number of "FSA" casualties, after ISIS counterattacked using a VBIED. The "state" is now in possession of at least three German-made Leopard tanks.

Evacuations from both east Aleppo and the villages Foua and Kefraya are still ongoing.

The Syrian Government expects to deliver 30,000 housing units early 2017. Negotiations with especially Indian companies about large rebuilding projects are underway.

20 Dec. The Syria meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran in Moscow ends with a joint statement.

In its first ten days, phase two of Operation Wrath of Euphrates has taken over from ISIS 1300 km² containing 97 villages along the east bank of Euphrates in western Raqqa province.

19 Dec. UN Security Council resolution 2328 is unanimously adopted. UN observers will be send to Aleppo to monitor the situation in the city.

18 Dec. UN Security Council to vote on humanitarian aid to Aleppo.

16 Dec. According to Russian sources, everybody who was willing to be evacuated from the east Aleppo pocket has been, in total over 9,500 people. Syrian troops have now restarted operations against the remaining "radical and irreconcilable gangs" who chose to fight to the end.

Loyalist sources report that several NATO/-allied officers have been captured in a bunker in east Aleppo.

15 Dec. Evacuation of remaining militants and their families from the Aleppo pocket has started. Simultaneously an evacuation operation in the militant-besieged Shi'ite villages of Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province is underway, apparently as part of the deal. Rudaw has a liveticker.

14 Dec. The agreed-upon evacuation of remaining militants in the Aleppo pocket is postponed due to internal disputes among the gangs.

ISIS continues to attack the T-4 airbase and has reportedly cut a supply line for the army. "ISIS Feared To Have Control Of Surface-To-Air Missile System"- American Military News; Случайный прохожий.

Assad interviews by RT (transcript) and Russia24/NTV (transcript) are aired.

13 Dec. According to the Russian military, another 7,796 civilians have been evacuated from east Aleppo during the last 24 hours, making it a total of 110,000, including 44,367 children.

According to Syrian military sources, ISIS has been driven back from the T-4 airbase and a new defense line was established.

According to Kurdish sources, 16 villages and several strategic hills have been taken over from ISIS in western Raqqa province in the first three days of phase two of operation Wrath of Euphrates.

12 Dec. The SAA takes more districts of eastern Aleppo back, leaving just two districts in militant hands: Sukkari and Bustan Al-Qasr. It is estimated that around 2,200 militants, among many civilians, are concentrated in the pocket.

According to media reports, IS attacks a military airbase Tiyas (T-4), located west of Palmyra, and used in the past as a 'jump-pad' for Russian helicopters, and by SAA airforce. The base is now in the firing range after SAA withdrawal, and it is said that anti-aircraft detachment positions nearby are captured by IS. Fighting for the airbase is ongoing.

11 Dec. After a surprise attack during extremely foggy weather and three days of intense fighting, ISIS took back control over Palmyra and some nearby oil fields. Loyalist journalist Danny Makki tries to sort it out in a series of tweets. Loss of Palmyra was confirmed by the governor of Homs province, Talal Barazi (Damascus now)(BBC).

10 Dec. According to Russian Military spokesperson Konashenkov, "more than 20,000 residents left eastern Aleppo in the first part of Saturday, and 1,217 militants laid down their weapons". Drone footage is said to show the long lines of civilians in the process of leaving (longer footage-RT).

9 Dec. SANA: SAA controls 93% of east Aleppo. During the last 24 hours 1000+ "rebels" surrender (953 of them are granted amnesty) and 11,000 civilians leave "rebel"-controlled area.

122 countries including Micronesia express "outrage" over the situation in Syria by passing a Canadian-sponsored resolution in the UN General Assembly. 13 vote against it and 36 abstain.

With the help of an additional 300 Turkish Army Special Forces and German-made Leopard tanks, Operation Euphrates Shield launches another attempt at taking Al-Bab. Meanwhile the Wrath of Euphrates Operation, including over 1,000 mostly Arab new recruits and an additional 200 US special forces, starts Phase two of the quest for liberating Raqqa, prepared by over 300 air strikes by the US-led coalition over the last month. One such air strike, the largest of its kind, destroyed 168 ISIS oil tankers near Palmyra the day before. The goal of phase two is to take over the important al-Tabqa dam 50 km west of Raqqa.

8 Dec. US-Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard introduces the Stop Arming Terrorists Act.

Barack Obama authorizes delivery of weapons to jihadists in Syria.

7 Dec. ANNA News publishes a documentary from the front lines called "Extermination of terrorists in Aleppo with fire" (video, graphic).

Assad is interviewed by Syrian al-Watan newspaper (English language transcript).

6 Dec. Turkish-backed militants restart their indiscriminate shelling of villages in western Manbij countryside, killing at least ten civilians and injuring forty and causing many residents to flee towards Manbij city.

5 Dec. Russia and China veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate seven day ceasefire in Aleppo. According to Churkin the submitting nations Egypt, New Zealand and Spain "were shamelessly pressured by the trio of permanent western members" into submitting the draft which Lavrov called "counterproductive".

Operation Euphrates Shield is still at the doors of Al-Bab without any progress over the weekend, according to Turkish military sources.

A Russian military hospital set for civilians in East Aleppo was hit by mortar strike, a Russian military doctor (a woman) was killed, two nurses seriously injured -Lizzie Phelan/RT, reporting from Aleppo. Russian MoD (Konashenkov) (video-press CC for Engl.) blamed the rebels. He stated that the (radical) rebels locked in the southern part of Eastern Aleppo are unable to make such precise strikes, and so he blamed (moderate) rebels and their Western sponsors, alleging further that hospital exact coordinates known to the coalition could be passed to the rebels. (No coalition response to his comments, so far).
 * ANNA news video from the scene; another video. Russian guards on the scene say that 3 balloons hit, first 300 meters away, next a direct hit on medics tent. Mentions that 'hospital opening was reported in media', and that 'by preliminary information, Nureddin Al Zenki group claimed responsibility'. Officer in the second part of *Second doctor died of her wounds in a hospital.
 * Some personal info about killed medics appeared. They, and a recently killed Russian colonel who served in an advisory role, received posthumous awards- Order of Courage.

A Russian Su-33 jet skids off Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier at landing attempt, making it the second lost plane involving that ship.

Following recent similar agreements in southern Damascus countryside, another 450 "rebels" hand over their weapons in exchange for amnesty.

4 Dec. Several ancient sculptures and artifacts looted from Palmyra are seized by the Swiss police in a warehouse in Geneva.

3 Dec. A Syrian Albatros plane crashes into an urban area inside the east Aleppo pocket. "Rebels" claim they shot it down.

2 Dec. The US congress passes a bill that extends the train-and-equip program for Syrian "rebels" for two years and for the first time explicitly allows the delivery of MANPADs to certain "vetted" groups.

1 Dec. After Russia demanded an explanation and Putin and Erdogan had the third phonecall in one week, the Turkish president pretends that he was misunderstood and the target of the Turkish operation is not "a country or person, but only terror organizations". Meanwhile at a meeting with the Turkish foreign minister, Lavrov clarifies that neither Russia nor Syria was responsible for the attack on Turkish soldiers on Thanksgiving day. The information that Russia said it was a Syrian plane resulted from a mistranslation. According to Lavrov, it's "essential to discuss this issue with the United States and other institutions" in order to prevent such things from happening again.

29 Nov. Erdogan says that the Turkish army entered Syria to end Assad's rule, contradicting previous claims of the goal being to create a "safe zone" at the border by fighting ISIS and the YPG.

28 Nov. The SAA continues its speedy Aleppo offensive and captures the whole northern half of the "rebel" held pocket, making the southern border of former stronghold Sakour the new frontline.

After long negotiations, the "rebels" in one of the last pockets in the West Ghouta agreed to hand over the city of Khan al-Sheih in return for amnesty or a green bus trip to Idlib.

27 Nov. Aleppo: SAA captured Jabal Badro district, and is close to cutting rebel defenses in half. During the advances, 2,500 (Al Manar) to 10,000 (SOHR) civilians flee to government- and YPG-held areas. Drone footage emerges showing the captured districts of Hanano and Jabal Badro.

Russian MoD: The total number of inhabited areas, the leaders of which had signed reconciliation agreements, has reached 1000 [in all of Syria].

Independent journalist Rania Khalek also attended the conference for journalists in Damascus and reports about why she resigned from the board of Electronic Intifada after having been attacked by the likes of Qatar-financed "expert" Charles Lister.

26 Nov. KenFM publishes video of English language lecture by Tim Anderson held in Berlin for the publication of the German language edition of his book "The Dirty War on Syria", which summarizes among many other things some core findings of ACLOS research.

25 Nov. A map by @deSyracuse covers this week's turbulent events around Al-Bab.

Russia assures Turkey that the plane that killed the Turkish soldiers on the anniversary of the SU-24 shootdown was not Russian, but a Syrian Albatros (the latter was apparently the result of a mistranslation and later retracted, see 1 Dec). Three strikes were reported quoting Turkish sources and social media; some photos after 2-nd strike.

24 Nov. Three Turkish soldiers were killed and 10 wounded near Al-Bab. According to Anadolu Agency the origin was an air strike by the SAA, while Reuters claims it has been an ISIS attack. It happened exactly one year after the Turkish Downing of Russian Su-24. (note: The Reuters item likely dealt with an event that happened the day before)

After days of ongoing attacks by the Turkish army on SDF positions west of Manbij, Rojava officials write a letter to the Arab Union asking for condemnation of the "actions against international law" and pressure on Turkey to stop them. Meanwhile Erdogan declares that Manbij will be the next goal after Al-Bab is taken, and the Turkish state issues an arrest warrant against PYD co-chair Salih Muslim over alleged participation in the preparation of a bomb attack in Ankara in February.

Rusvesna: football friendly between Syrian army and moderate opposition players from Eastern Aleppo took place. The match ended in a 5:5 draw.

22 Nov. Rusvesna: details of White Helmets staged rescue were released on this video, for unknown reason.

In an article for Foreign Policy, Sam Heller shares more details from the conference that was also attended by Aron Lund and apparently a larger crowd of western journalists. Heller mentions UK's Channel 4, the New Yorker magazine and the New York Times. He characterizes the stance of the presenting Syrian government as "unrepentant".

21 Nov. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D), one of the US's most vocal critics of the illegal regime change policies towards Syria, visits the Trump Tower on request of the president-elect to share her view on these issues.

20 Nov. Swedish orientalist and Syrian "opposition" expert Aron Lund reports about meeting Assad on his first visit to Syria since the start of the crisis.

The first university of Rojava opens in Qamishlo.

Several sources report that Turkish fighter jets bombard SDF positions west of Manbij after the latter took some villages from ISIS (map).

18 Nov. Al Masdar: According to the Russian ministry of defense, around 300 people demonstrated in east Aleppo against the looting of aid goods by militants. The militants opened fire and killed 17, wounded over 40. Ten men who were deemed to be leaders of the unrest were executed.

17 Nov. A 41-year-old man from Aleppo will have to stand trial in Germany for war crimes and human trafficking. As the leader of a local militia he is said to have abducted and personally tortured several people, at least one of them with deadly consequences.

The SAA attacks ISIS defense lines in the eastern Aleppo countryside village of al Mazburah, 10 km north of Deir Hafer and 20 km south-east of Al-Bab.

16 Nov. Iraq: The Hashd al-Sha'abi (PMU) have cut the ISIS supply line between Mosul and Syria by taking over the Tel Afar airbase 60 km to the west of Mosul. They plan on moving towards the Syrian border now (map). According to a statement by Iraqi Army General Command, 2,800 ISIS fighters have been killed since the operation to liberate Mosul was launched a month ago.

Scott Horton interviews UK paper The Independent's Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn, currently near Mosul, about the different aspects of the fight against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria (audio).

US Army Colonel John Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman, states at a press briefing that Turkey decided independently to move on Al-Bab and that the US has stopped the (air and ground) support it had given to Operation Euphrates Shield while it was taking areas close to the border.

15 Nov. Al Masdar: Operation Euphrates Shield enters Al-Bab outskirts but has to retreat again. Two Turkish army tanks destroyed by ISIS.

Assad is interviewed by Portuguese State TV Channel RTP (transcript).

Russia launches "a large-scale operation against the positions of Islamic State and Al-Nusra in the provinces of Idlib and Homs" (Shoigu) with participation of the Admiral Kuznetsov group.

The US House of Representatives passes a bill named after alleged torture whistleblower Caesar imposing new sanctions on anyone who provides the Syrian government with financial, material or technological support.

14 Nov. According to sources close to the respective operations, "Operation Wrath of Euphrates" during its first ten days has liberated 550 km² of land with 34 villages, killing 167 ISIS fighters without own losses while closing in from the north towards Al-Raqqa. "Operation Euphrates Shield" meanwhile is standing 2 km north of Al-Bab after liberating several villages.

13 Nov. A huge explosion at a YPG checkpoint in Sherewa district of Efrin city leaves a dozen dead and over 50 wounded, mostly internally displaced people. Turkey or Russia are suspected of being behind the apparent airstrike (Al-Masdar, Rudaw). Others claim it was a ballistic missile and show remains of what seems to be an old Tochka-U.

A MiG-29K crashes into the Mediterranean with a technical defect after an exercise starting from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. The pilot is rescued alive.

12 Nov. The Russian navy group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier arrives at the Syrian coast.

11 Nov. The Syrian Social Nationalist Party marks the 84th anniversary of its foundation.

10 Nov. Austria: A 27-year-old Syrian was charged with mass murder and war crimes after he bragged in a refugee camp about having shot dead 20 Syrian soldiers in or around Homs as a member of the Farouk Brigade.

Lavrov accuses the US of seeking to prevent striking the al-Nusra Front to take advantage of it.

The US Treasury targets key leaders of the al-Nusra Front, among them infamous Saudi-supported Idlib province leader al-Muhaysini. 7 Nov. Syrian Army gains ground in western Aleppo (more videos).

According to a YPG statement, Jihadi groups tried to infiltrate Rojava from Turkey at two seperate points, protected by Turkish artillery fire. Both groups retreated after fights with YPG units.

American freelance journalist Sam Heller reports about a week spent in Damascus on invitation of the government, during which he attended a conference and met Assad.

6 Nov. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announce that the operation "Wrath of Euphrates" (Xezeba Firatê) to liberate Raqqa from ISIS has started.

3 Nov. Assad was interviewed by the Serbian newspaper Politika (transcript).

Russian helicopter Mi-35 was destroyed on the ground by IS anti-tank fire, apparently after landing due to mechanical problem. Russian rescue squad brought the crew to safety using Mi-8 helicopter and armored vehicles (report, video).

Russian volunteer Sergei Morozov (an assistant to Duma MP, and former Donbas volunteer) was killed in Syria 8 months ago-TASS. (That first became known after a publication by Reuters).

2 Nov. The leader of the more than 50,000 fighters strong Iraqi Shiite militia Hashd al-Sha'abi (wikipedia), Hadi al-Ameri, tells German journalist Alfred Hackensberger that they will go to Syria to fight ISIS and al-Qaida after Mosul is liberated.

Al Masdar, SOHR: Infighting between major militias inside encircled east Aleppo kills one and injures 25.

In his first audio message since December 2015, ISIS-leader al-Baghdadi calls for terror attacks in Turkey and Saudi Arabia (summary).

1 Nov. Robert Fisk interviews one of the few families who made it out of east Aleppo via the corridors and they essentially tell him that they were held hostage.